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Doug wrote:Congrats!

Thank you!

I had McDonald's for breakfast, even though they don't serve breakfast foods in the afternoon.

I got up earlier than normal for a day that I work just in case I got my chance to do my inaugural Wall Walk and at LONG LAST the plastic had arrived!



I'd been wearing over the past few days inside my house, putting my firearm in a drawer when I went to check the mail (so I wouldn't be in "public" with a concealed firearm without plastic in pocket).

Kitting up with the actual Wally Walk finally a "Go" was somewhat unnerving.

Why don't I go and ask someone if I'm printing?

I'm off tomorrow, shouldn't I wait? I could just go through the drive through at Walgreen's and pick up prescriptions.

Okay, okay.

1417 hrs. I'm 3/4 of the parking lot away from the front door of WalMart. Not the busy, most people coming out door. The ever present greeter entrance. Out of the car. Wind is blowing really hard. I button one button on my cover garment and realize how heavy a fully loaded G 21 SF with two spare mags is.

I make it through the door and get my cart. I'm actually doing it!

What do I need? Batteries. There they are on an endcap. Now only 40 more minutes to fill.

I keep moving. What day is it? OH WOW! Wedding anniversary tomorrow! I'm going to need the minimum of a card. What does my wife want? Fingerless gloves.

Okay, okay, let's go to the greeting card aisle. THAT'S BACK AT THE FRONT OF THE STORE!

Let's just shop. No, no fingerless gloves in sporting goods.

Clothes. Look at clothes. Oh, great. Unaccompanied male in the Women's wear section. Why don't they have a big sign for GLOVES? I don't want to keep walking around and around the same racks of intimates hunting for something more elusive than a 10 point buck.

GLOVES but no fingerless ones. Just pick some. Then ask someone. That's good, draw attention while wearing a gun bigger than the shopping cart. I talk gloves with a WalMart employee who is putting children's gloves on a rack but she doesn't know of any fingerless gloves anywhere in the store. I leave the vicinity without hearing any challenge from a SWAT team.

I bend down, plucking anniversary cards to read and finally choose 2 (my wife likes cards).

I check my printed Wall Walk rules. Eating comes after the checkout. There's the McDonald's. What time is it?

1454 hrs. I've been here 37 minutes already! My, how time flies when you pack a gun.

Through the check out. Getting money from my pants pocket without flashing my reloads. 1500 hrs.

I check the rules. Onion Rings? Do they even sell onion rings here? Not on the menu. I break rules. Combo meal # 2, upsize with diet coke. For here.

Packing my tray to a table in the back. Normally when I eat alone I read. I can read my Wally Walk rules.

No. I'm not sheep any more. I'm sheepdog. Sheepdog is not in condition white when packing. Eyes open. Ears open. Back to the back wall of the McDonalds and paying attention.

My god, if that 20 something showed more butt cleavage she'd have to get a union card.

I'm watching everyone. The man showing off his pacemaker incision to one of his buddies. I debated telling him not to undo the doctor's work by eating at McDonalds but passed on that.

Finally finish my meal. I figured I'd had at least enough calories and dripped enough goop from the burger to pass the test.

Now the bathroom. Glad I practiced this at home. Lowering your pants with a heavy arsenal isn't easy. I manage it without my Glock or the magazines hitting the floor and bumping into Sen. Larry Craig in the next stall.

Finished. Pants up. Hands washed. Bag of goods in left hand, back past the ever-vigilant greeter and out the door. Button again against the wind as I move 3/4 down the parking lot to my car. I'm back in my car. 1517 hrs.

I was so relieved that I went to Walgreen's and DIDN'T use the drive through.

The Walgreen's is right across the street from the Police station.

I picked up my prescriptions and even got my wallet out without flashing. God Bless the Comp Tac Minotaur IWB.

And back home to report to the forum!

ANOTHER day off wasted by having my plastic delayed.

The perfect time to go and really relish the event and no plastic.

Another day, another disappointment.

Saturday was another day without plastic.

Another day without plastic.

Nothing so far.

Wally Walk directions printed. May have to do an inagural "Cotton Stand" if it arrives tomorrow or Saturday as I have to work and my employer forbids carry

I did my usual post 5:00 pm status check of the DPS website today and

Application Completed - license issued or certificate active

Now, to wait for plastic! From the Longest Wait to the EVEN LONGER WAIT.

Latest check on 12/29/07 is "Processing Application".

The 30 day mark has passed since I mailed the packet back. Still "Processing Application".

I had my pin since I applied online first.

I didn't check until today. The news is...

"Processing Application"

We'll see how things go.

It looks like, from the other threads, that one can't expect the website to update very fast.

Hi, my name is Hyunchback and I'm a waitaholic. (Hi, Hyunchback!)

I first realized I had a problem with waiting as I watched the guy at the package shop drop my meter-stamped envelope to DPS into the appropriate bin.

I've shipped a lot of stuff. I never waited to make sure any clerk at any shop actually put an envelope in the right bin.

This was little over 30 minutes ago.

Let's see if I can take the waiting.