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Im not sure if this should have gone in "Never Again" but idek. Just have to vent to someone. Why not the CHL forum

Anyways, Ive had my CHL since February or so, and ever since Ive always carried, just because its smart too. I feel like a lame duck now, but I did the walmart walk with pride back then and everything.

So it's an everyday thing, if i dont carry my gun on me, its in the car or somewhere somewhat accessible.

ON THIS DAY IN PARTICULAR, my mom asked me to pick up a few things for her on the way over to her house from walmart. Of course, because I love my mother, I politely obliged . So I pull up to the store, get out and walk on in with my list, handgun tucked IWB. I made it through all of the houseware, passed the electronics right up, and headed straight the the deli area by the front door, where at this walmart, is side by side with the produce, and the start of every other isle.

So im looking over the list, looking all around trying to find different types of fruit, and this guy wearing an unzipped heavy jacket comes buy pushing an empty cart. I noticed him, but didnt think anything of it (its walmart after all).

So he walks on behind me to the end of the produce, which is lined up with the many isles throughout the store, and abruptly stops and spins around looking down the isle, not at me exactly, but almost as if he wasnt sure if he needed something in the isle I was in. but it happened SO abruptly it caught the attention out of the corner of my eye. SO abruptly it makes me use the word ABRUPTLY.

So now im in the middle of the produce isles looking down at this guy, and almost as quickly as he stopped and spun around OUT OF NOWHERE THIS DUDE JUST PUTS HIS HAND ON HIS HIP OVER HIS JACKET, LIKE HE HAD A GUN UNDER HIS JACKET.

It happened so fast i didnt even think GUN for a whole couple of seconds. He never made eye contact with me, but just stood there for about 10 seconds and puts his hand back on his cart.

I quickly pushed my cart to the next isle over, still in produce, where i was still able to see him, and then the situation actually hit me, slowly but surely.

I found myself thinking, "oh cool, a chl holder that is doing his first wally walk, just walking around, moving in and out, picking things up from a shelf" etc (just to get the feel of the new CHL and whatnot) and checking to make sure his jacket wasnt sliding around, which to me isnt weird, even to this day a swift breeze will make me double check to make sure my pistol is still concealed. Especially when its new, you feel like everyone knows you have a gun. ( i had this thinking because of the jacket, his body language kind of, empty cart, and the way he was looking at things. Im pretty sure a 30+ year old guy has seen bundles of bananas before no real reason to stare)

But then it hit me. Thank god nothing came of it, but what if he was a shooter. I was stuck in the middle of this isle with fruit in my hands and I, literally, watched this guy put his hand on his gun...I pretty much did nothing but watch this stranger get the jump on me!

Ill clean the language up, but it scared the "flipping royal stuff" out of me to think that i was possibly face to face with someone who had the ability to hurt me or other people! With my hands full and the head start he had, there would have been no possible way i could have pulled my pistol out in time

It was a VERY VERY VERY VERY good wake up call for me, and a VERY VERY VERY good reminder to never become complacent!!
Especially when "just stopping by to pick up a few things"

Its made me think, and i havent really been able to forgive myself for not staying on my toes. But dang....Definitely the scariest thing ive faced so far.

I didnt see the guy after that, and how i was going through the store i should have seen him more than that one time, but i didnt, SO im thinking he saw me see him and he split. There is nothing to me, not even a phone on a belt clip, that requires you to put your hand on your hip like a police officer. So im about 90% positive im calling it correctly.
I never saw a gun or anything so I figured calling the police or something would be too much. especially since no eye contact was made, nothing came of it, and the fact that it happened SO FAST.
But dang. To think I could have been gunned down while i had my own is terrifying!

If that where to have been the moment I had to use it, I wasn't ready. NOT EVEN CLOSE.

Live and you learn, I stay more alert now because of that, but i will never look at Walmart, or at least that produce isle, the same way again

Many many thanks ahead of time for everyone that took the time to read

So, you didn't see a gun? All you saw was a guy put his hand on his hip? Maybe the guy normally wears his phone there and just realized he left it at home. Or maybe he wears an insulin pump and he was getting a silent alarm. Or maybe there is an inside pocket to his coat where he carries his wallet and he realized it wasn't there. Or...
There is a hundred different things this could have been that aren't gun related. It would not be uncommon for me at all to stop in midstride and touch my front pocket to make sure I had my keys or to make sure I hadn't forgotten my phone or wallet. I wasn't there, and I can only go by what you have posted, but I don't really understand the cause for alarm.

Whether it was a gun or not, it still served as an adrenalin-fueled reminder to remain situationally aware. Remembering to stay in Condition Yellow is a good skill to keep honed.

Had an adrenalin fueled reminder recently that also turned out to be nothing.

Badish neighborhood walking to my truck. I got to my rear bumper just as a thug-looking gentleman coming the other way got to my front bumper. We both turned into the space between my truck and another parked vehicle. I came around a big SUV, turned to walk between the SUV and my vehicle and spotted him in the same space coming at me fast. did I mention thug-looking?

It was a bad neighborhood, he was dressed for the area, he was bigger, younger, and in better shape than I was, he was moving fast in my direction and I saw him when we were 15 feet apart and closing fast. My heart jumped and I realized at that moment that I had no plan.

Fortunately he said "excuse me" and just squeezed past me in that small space - probably on his way to church or to volunteer at the old folks home. We both had a shocked look on our faces. Since I clearly would have been the looser, I'm assuming he was not quite as concerned as I was.

It turned out fine but it did make me realize that bad can happen faster than you can respond and sometimes a fast retreat to give yourself a few extra seconds is the best plan. That said, I'm glad I didn't run away screaming.

jmra wrote:So, you didn't see a gun? All you saw was a guy put his hand on his hip? Maybe the guy normally wears his phone there and just realized he left it at home. Or maybe he wears an insulin pump and he was getting a silent alarm. Or maybe there is an inside pocket to his coat where he carries his wallet and he realized it wasn't there. Or...
There is a hundred different things this could have been that aren't gun related. It would not be uncommon for me at all to stop in midstride and touch my front pocket to make sure I had my keys or to make sure I hadn't forgotten my phone or wallet. I wasn't there, and I can only go by what you have posted, but I don't really understand the cause for alarm.

A few years ago I went to Plano Citizens' Police Academy. In one segment we were told that the officers could always tell when someone was carrying a gun, CHL or otherwise, because of a variety of tells, such as walking with the arm on the gun side out a little, touch checking the gun, and other such things. Being somewhat contrarian by nature, I decided to develop some of those habits just for giggles. Of course as an old telephone man I already walk with my hands away from my body (gunfighter stance according to them) because of years of wearing a tool belt, but I also developed the "tell" of tap checking various things I might carry in my pockets. I customarily, depending on the occasion, wear Tru-Spec pants: with a pen and stylus in the right side pen pocket, one carry gun or another the the right cargo pocket, along with two harmonicas, and a folder of business cards in the little pocket that is just the right size; on the other side I have four more harmonicas in the cargo pocket, a small measuring tape and other small things in the little pocket on that side, a spare magazine in the pocket that is just the right size for it; a bunch of lifesavers and bubblegum in the left front pocket, a backup battery and some mustache wax in the right front pocket, wallet in the right back pocket and leather gloves in the left.

By themselves my britches weigh more than 10 pounds, so I wear suspenders.

And I do touch and tap checks of a variety of those pockets, sometimes driving my wife to distraction, even if for some reason I am not carrying.

jimlongley wrote:

jmra wrote:So, you didn't see a gun? All you saw was a guy put his hand on his hip? Maybe the guy normally wears his phone there and just realized he left it at home. Or maybe he wears an insulin pump and he was getting a silent alarm. Or maybe there is an inside pocket to his coat where he carries his wallet and he realized it wasn't there. Or...
There is a hundred different things this could have been that aren't gun related. It would not be uncommon for me at all to stop in midstride and touch my front pocket to make sure I had my keys or to make sure I hadn't forgotten my phone or wallet. I wasn't there, and I can only go by what you have posted, but I don't really understand the cause for alarm.

A few years ago I went to Plano Citizens' Police Academy. In one segment we were told that the officers could always tell when someone was carrying a gun, CHL or otherwise, because of a variety of tells, such as walking with the arm on the gun side out a little, touch checking the gun, and other such things. Being somewhat contrarian by nature, I decided to develop some of those habits just for giggles. Of course as an old telephone man I already walk with my hands away from my body (gunfighter stance according to them) because of years of wearing a tool belt, but I also developed the "tell" of tap checking various things I might carry in my pockets. I customarily, depending on the occasion, wear Tru-Spec pants: with a pen and stylus in the right side pen pocket, one carry gun or another the the right cargo pocket, along with two harmonicas, and a folder of business cards in the little pocket that is just the right size; on the other side I have four more harmonicas in the cargo pocket, a small measuring tape and other small things in the little pocket on that side, a spare magazine in the pocket that is just the right size for it; a bunch of lifesavers and bubblegum in the left front pocket, a backup battery and some mustache wax in the right front pocket, wallet in the right back pocket and leather gloves in the left.

By themselves my britches weigh more than 10 pounds, so I wear suspenders.

And I do touch and tap checks of a variety of those pockets, sometimes driving my wife to distraction, even if for some reason I am not carrying.

What no kitchen sink?

jimlongley wrote:

jmra wrote:So, you didn't see a gun? All you saw was a guy put his hand on his hip? Maybe the guy normally wears his phone there and just realized he left it at home. Or maybe he wears an insulin pump and he was getting a silent alarm. Or maybe there is an inside pocket to his coat where he carries his wallet and he realized it wasn't there. Or...
There is a hundred different things this could have been that aren't gun related. It would not be uncommon for me at all to stop in midstride and touch my front pocket to make sure I had my keys or to make sure I hadn't forgotten my phone or wallet. I wasn't there, and I can only go by what you have posted, but I don't really understand the cause for alarm.

A few years ago I went to Plano Citizens' Police Academy. In one segment we were told that the officers could always tell when someone was carrying a gun, CHL or otherwise, because of a variety of tells, such as walking with the arm on the gun side out a little, touch checking the gun, and other such things. Being somewhat contrarian by nature, I decided to develop some of those habits just for giggles. Of course as an old telephone man I already walk with my hands away from my body (gunfighter stance according to them) because of years of wearing a tool belt, but I also developed the "tell" of tap checking various things I might carry in my pockets. I customarily, depending on the occasion, wear Tru-Spec pants: with a pen and stylus in the right side pen pocket, one carry gun or another the the right cargo pocket, along with two harmonicas, and a folder of business cards in the little pocket that is just the right size; on the other side I have four more harmonicas in the cargo pocket, a small measuring tape and other small things in the little pocket on that side, a spare magazine in the pocket that is just the right size for it; a bunch of lifesavers and bubblegum in the left front pocket, a backup battery and some mustache wax in the right front pocket, wallet in the right back pocket and leather gloves in the left.

By themselves my britches weigh more than 10 pounds, so I wear suspenders.

And I do touch and tap checks of a variety of those pockets, sometimes driving my wife to distraction, even if for some reason I am not carrying.

6 harmonicas? I thought I carried a lot of stuff

suthdj wrote:

jimlongley wrote:

jmra wrote:So, you didn't see a gun? All you saw was a guy put his hand on his hip? Maybe the guy normally wears his phone there and just realized he left it at home. Or maybe he wears an insulin pump and he was getting a silent alarm. Or maybe there is an inside pocket to his coat where he carries his wallet and he realized it wasn't there. Or...
There is a hundred different things this could have been that aren't gun related. It would not be uncommon for me at all to stop in midstride and touch my front pocket to make sure I had my keys or to make sure I hadn't forgotten my phone or wallet. I wasn't there, and I can only go by what you have posted, but I don't really understand the cause for alarm.

A few years ago I went to Plano Citizens' Police Academy. In one segment we were told that the officers could always tell when someone was carrying a gun, CHL or otherwise, because of a variety of tells, such as walking with the arm on the gun side out a little, touch checking the gun, and other such things. Being somewhat contrarian by nature, I decided to develop some of those habits just for giggles. Of course as an old telephone man I already walk with my hands away from my body (gunfighter stance according to them) because of years of wearing a tool belt, but I also developed the "tell" of tap checking various things I might carry in my pockets. I customarily, depending on the occasion, wear Tru-Spec pants: with a pen and stylus in the right side pen pocket, one carry gun or another the the right cargo pocket, along with two harmonicas, and a folder of business cards in the little pocket that is just the right size; on the other side I have four more harmonicas in the cargo pocket, a small measuring tape and other small things in the little pocket on that side, a spare magazine in the pocket that is just the right size for it; a bunch of lifesavers and bubblegum in the left front pocket, a backup battery and some mustache wax in the right front pocket, wallet in the right back pocket and leather gloves in the left.

By themselves my britches weigh more than 10 pounds, so I wear suspenders.

And I do touch and tap checks of a variety of those pockets, sometimes driving my wife to distraction, even if for some reason I am not carrying.

What no kitchen sink?

Working on it.

CoffeeNut wrote:
6 harmonicas? I thought I carried a lot of stuff

Unless I am going out somewhere with the intention of playing, and of course there are the three in my shirt pocket.

Probably a cell phone.

Sounds like you know your way around a mouth harp Jim...long enough to learn you can't play but one at a time I would think...lol.

I'd say that none of us are "ready" for anything close to a gunfight but it sounds like you learned what you can't do... As others have said this guy could have been reaching for anything and it's not illegal to be a little odd (you were at Walmart).

Have you tried any competitive shooting such as IDPA, PASS or USPSA? It gets the adrenaline going and with practice your learn how to function even if only minimally. Carry. Train. Practice. Pray.

Thanks for sharing and take care.

AndyC wrote:I read the title and figured someone must have found something in Walmart that was made in the USA.

Close call! You almost died.

RogueUSMC wrote:Sounds like you know your way around a mouth harp Jim...long enough to learn you can't play but one at a time I would think...lol.

Yes, but I have to have all the keys. And I have a bunch more, including an electric one. http://www.turboharp.com/customharmonic ... h-elx.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;