Interesting carry story

[OnceFired]

I just got back into Texas, and have an interesting story.

I got a job offer two Fridays ago. From the time I received the job offer, I had 2 hours to accept. They needed someone down in Austin right away, because the guy I was sort of replacing only had one day in the office that week before he was heading out. So, I had to accept the offer quickly, and then get down from Springfield MO back to Austin TX in time to be in the office Tuesday morning. I accepted, loaded the RV up on Saturday morning, and took off.

Travel itself was uneventful that first weekend. First trip was with family, driving the RV, towing one car and my wife driving the other. Took us 1.5 days but got to Austin no trouble.

The following weekend (this Labor Day) I went back in a rental truck, making the 700-mile trek solo just to clear out a 10x10 storage locker. I brought my PX4 with me especially since I would be alone. Got up there in about 10 hours, making great time but was just fatiguing.

I picked up the U-haul trailer, had to run around for towing parts (sleeve reducer that no one had) and then load the locker into the trailer. I was beat by 9pm, and then had to find a motel. I hadn't booked one because I didn't know when I was going to finish, or frankly even get there. I was winging it.

So, I'm dog tired and just need a shower & a bed from a motel. I found America's Best Value Inn in Springfield. While the front desk help was nice, I wouldn't recommend it. Some of the guests there were quite squirrelly looking, and were clearly up to something just outside the exit from the far end of the building. From the smell, I'd guess smoking weed was on their very recent activity list. But the language I was hearing suggested more. Great - just what I need, and I counted at least 5 of them, if the folks I couldn't quite see as they went inside were with them or not.

I was in a somewhat familiar place (it was on the way to where I had been going to church) - but I was fading fast. I knew I was operating on fumes. I didn't carry directly into the motel - all I had on was a short t-shirt & jeans, so my options were limited for a full size pistol. I didn't want this crew to know I was armed unless I needed to use it. So, I checked in first, got a ground floor room where I could see my truck directly, and then retrieved my pistol from the truck. In my OWB holster, under my shirt on my right hip at 3:30, with my change of clothes in my right hand over the pistol just to be more sure it was covered. I had my cooler in the left had, and walked inside.

The hooligans I had previously spotted were gone by the time I went inside. Or so I thought. They apparently had ended up in the rooms next to me - and I of course heard all sorts of noises in the night of them "hanging out" next door. Nothing I could call the manager about, but I didn't trust these guys more than I could throw them. They were outside my door, outside their door, in & out, laughing and just generally having fun. Not being nasty, or overly disruptive - but definitely getting on my nerves.

I got settled in the room - the first move of which was to set the alarm on the truck. That I had already done outside. I did it because I heard all the gang outside my window (& theirs) and didn't like the way they were talking. I closed the window shade, ensured all the door locks were set, and put the pistol out of the holster on the nightstand. I had done my homework on reciprocity for CCW in the states I was in, but of course still wasn't as familiar with the laws as I was with Texas' law. So mildly apprehensive about carrying was an accurate description of where I was at.

I got ready for bed - and then couldn't sleep. I was fading in & out of awareness, and even heard a huge thunk on the wall where my headboard was. Scared the crap out of me, but nothing else happened and I finally, finally fell asleep. I knew my situational awareness had been down because of how tired I was, and that I'd be much better in the morning.

I woke at 6am, much refreshed. I peeked out the window and all was quiet and seemed in order. Nobody active anywhere. I gathered my belongings (much bigger T-shirt today, covered me enough to get to the truck) so I went to the lobby, and checked out. Realized I forgot ice for the cooler, I went to the second floor where the ice machine was, filled up, and then headed out the side door to the truck. Pistol is in same position as before.

I had just cleared the first side door, maybe 3-5 paces out, when the biggest of the hooligans the night before is walking from the far door into the middle of the parking lot. His buddy is by the door looking just as squirrelly as he did last night, except probably hung over too.

I'm maybe 30-35 feet from the one I spotted first. He's probably 6'3" and maybe 240-260. I had him on height, but he had maybe 30 pounds or more on me. He was walking out to the cars, but also nearer to me. And he said something I couldn't make out - didn't realize he was talking to me at first. But he's making signs with his hands - clearly to me, now that I'm paying attention to it. He flashes what I think is some sort of gang sign, and mutters something under his breath. Out of the corner of my eye I see his buddy turn around and start watching us.

I freeze. My left hand is has the cooler, and my other bag of clothes on top of it. Right hand has keys, but is otherwise free, and is furthest from him, somewhat screened. He's maybe 20-25 feet from me now, still on same course. I say "what?" and he gestures again for emphasis, continuing a few more steps. My hand is not on my pistol, but close and ready to move. That's when I heard what he was saying when he repeated it once more.

"Hook em horns", but throwing them downward while grimacing in disapproval instead of up and positive. That's the split second I didn't know what he was going to do.

Until he made it clear by pointing he was referring to something I had.

Situational awareness fail on my part. Couldn't recognize the sign, didn't remember I had the UT logo on the cooler (styrofoam cheapie for the trip) and I hadn't heard him clearly. I'd been operating mostly on body language, and had the concern of what his buddy might be up to just outside of my field of view.

Main guy was now walking away. He had realized he was slightly off on where his car was, and angled back away and kept going to it.

I relaxed, and had to laugh. My situational awareness had been MUCH better the night before when I was beat than it was that morning. I said "Thanks!" to the guy to mock him back just a little, "it's still early" to let him know I figured out what he was doing/saying and was mildly put off by it. Can't let rivalries go unchecked. But DefCon 2 went to DefCon 4 in a heartbeat. His friend was grinning ear to ear by that point.

Just goes to show, you have to have your radar going all the time. And have it calibrated regularly.

[kcatx]

Great story, and welcome to the Austin area! Is your PX4 full sized, compact, or subcompact?

[nyj]

Maybe a lesson to not judge a book by its cover.

[OnceFired]

Definitely a book by its cover lesson, to be sure. And a lesson to be self aware at all times, not just when you think you're being threatened. It's easy to drop your guard, and might take time to raise it up and be 100% again.

I carry full size.

OnceFired

[Robert*PPS]

I guess it's a good thing you didn't have a Texas Tech cooler and he said, "guns up"....

[Pecos]

I guess it's a good thing you didn't have a Texas Tech cooler and he said, "guns up"....

Texas Tech cooler would have definately provoked an agressive attack!!!!