Hi Everyone!
I am sharing my story on my first Open Carry.. and really any carry incident.
This happened yesterday on the west side of South Bend. My grandmother lives there, and has a garden that has seen the end of the season. So my wife, kids, and I went over to pull out the plants, stakes, etc. For those of you that know this part of town, you know it can be a little sketchy at times. So I decided to open carry my Bersa Thunder .380
I had pulled my truck right up to the garden, which is in the back of the house, next to an open field. While I was working, my wife was cutting the grass and the kids were playing football.
During this time, I noticed a man walking on the other side of the field. No biggie, people walk around all the time. But he was coming in my direction.
I continued to work, but kept my eye on him.. as he continued coming directly towards me. Now at this point, I committed that he was coming to me. And I immediately took in my surroundings and sized him up a bit. I figured "great.. out with my family, carrying a gun, and I actually might need to use it.. "
The man did come up to the area, and I heard my wife call my name. She had just noticed, and wanted my attention. However I did not look back, I kept eyes on him and started to walk toward him... Keeping him on the opposite side of my truck.. and my family.
I greeted him with a "Hi, how ya doing".. staying on my side of the truck. His response was "well do ya want the truth or you want me to lie to ya?"...
Immediately my bells went off.. i thought.. Either he has a complaint on what I am doing or looking for trouble.. So I replied "well, I want the truth".
He then started in on how his kids have not eaten and need medicine.. and then stopped mid-sentence with wide eyes. He just noticed the gun.
He said "oh.. wow.. you have a gun".. staring at it. I said nothing at first.. I was still racing in my mind everything around me.
He then surprised me a bit holding out his hand and giving his name. I shook his hand, gave my name in return, and I asked what he wanted.
He did go back into the kids needing food/medicine bit, but this time emphasied that he was looking for work. He wanted to know if I had any work that I could give him to help out.
Now.. was this his plan all along? Or did he change his tune once he saw what I had on the hip? I try to give people the benefit of the doubt.. and I did respect that he was willing to work.. not just flat out ask for a hand-out.
I mentioned that I did not have any cash on me, but that I respected his willingness to work for something. And with that, against the wish of my wife, I did give him a couple rows of plants to work on.
He was thankful and he did work. Sure he was a little slower than I was.. and I could tell he was out of shape by his sweating/breathing.. but he was working.
Now during the time of his work.. I never put my back to him. I never got in close proximity to him.. and kept him at a distance from my family. I stress this because I made a cognitive effort to do so. I sure did not trust him.. but something in me still respected his willingness to work.
After the work was complete, I gave him a bag of leftover veggies that were just going to be thrown away.. and $20. (I sent my wife to the ATM, while I stayed there working/watching him)
He thanked me and I re-iterated that I was helping him because of his willingness to work. I was hoping to drive that point home. He then went on his way.
So that is it... sure.. now it seems like no big deal.. but that encounter could have gone wrong in so many ways. My wife was uncomfortable the whole time and did not approve of me letting him help.
What would you have done? Do you agree with me trying to help, or did I put too much at risk?
I am sharing my story on my first Open Carry.. and really any carry incident.
This happened yesterday on the west side of South Bend. My grandmother lives there, and has a garden that has seen the end of the season. So my wife, kids, and I went over to pull out the plants, stakes, etc. For those of you that know this part of town, you know it can be a little sketchy at times. So I decided to open carry my Bersa Thunder .380
I had pulled my truck right up to the garden, which is in the back of the house, next to an open field. While I was working, my wife was cutting the grass and the kids were playing football.
During this time, I noticed a man walking on the other side of the field. No biggie, people walk around all the time. But he was coming in my direction.
I continued to work, but kept my eye on him.. as he continued coming directly towards me. Now at this point, I committed that he was coming to me. And I immediately took in my surroundings and sized him up a bit. I figured "great.. out with my family, carrying a gun, and I actually might need to use it.. "
The man did come up to the area, and I heard my wife call my name. She had just noticed, and wanted my attention. However I did not look back, I kept eyes on him and started to walk toward him... Keeping him on the opposite side of my truck.. and my family.
I greeted him with a "Hi, how ya doing".. staying on my side of the truck. His response was "well do ya want the truth or you want me to lie to ya?"...
Immediately my bells went off.. i thought.. Either he has a complaint on what I am doing or looking for trouble.. So I replied "well, I want the truth".
He then started in on how his kids have not eaten and need medicine.. and then stopped mid-sentence with wide eyes. He just noticed the gun.
He said "oh.. wow.. you have a gun".. staring at it. I said nothing at first.. I was still racing in my mind everything around me.
He then surprised me a bit holding out his hand and giving his name. I shook his hand, gave my name in return, and I asked what he wanted.
He did go back into the kids needing food/medicine bit, but this time emphasied that he was looking for work. He wanted to know if I had any work that I could give him to help out.
Now.. was this his plan all along? Or did he change his tune once he saw what I had on the hip? I try to give people the benefit of the doubt.. and I did respect that he was willing to work.. not just flat out ask for a hand-out.
I mentioned that I did not have any cash on me, but that I respected his willingness to work for something. And with that, against the wish of my wife, I did give him a couple rows of plants to work on.
He was thankful and he did work. Sure he was a little slower than I was.. and I could tell he was out of shape by his sweating/breathing.. but he was working.
Now during the time of his work.. I never put my back to him. I never got in close proximity to him.. and kept him at a distance from my family. I stress this because I made a cognitive effort to do so. I sure did not trust him.. but something in me still respected his willingness to work.
After the work was complete, I gave him a bag of leftover veggies that were just going to be thrown away.. and $20. (I sent my wife to the ATM, while I stayed there working/watching him)
He thanked me and I re-iterated that I was helping him because of his willingness to work. I was hoping to drive that point home. He then went on his way.
So that is it... sure.. now it seems like no big deal.. but that encounter could have gone wrong in so many ways. My wife was uncomfortable the whole time and did not approve of me letting him help.
What would you have done? Do you agree with me trying to help, or did I put too much at risk?