My Encounter

[johnson0317]

I work in hospitals for a living, and since I admit a lot of patients, I am in the ER a lot. Prior to becoming a Nurse Practitioner, I worked in ERs for 17 years as a nurse. In other words, I am constantly in the company of city, state and county officers.

I was speaking to a deputy last February and told him I was thinking of buying a gun. He fully encouraged me to do so and asked me if I carried in my vehicle. I told him I did not know I could. He looked at me like I was midly stupid. I then asked if it had to be unloaded and he almost stroked. No, he said, it needs to be loaded with one in the chamber. Can I keep it within reaching distance, or would that get me in trouble? Once again, the apoplectic look.

I went out the next day and bought my XDM 4.5" .45, my XDm 3.8" 9mm compact two weeks later, and my Kahr PM9 two weeks after that. I bought several books, joined sites like this one, watched people like Hickok45, SafeArmsReview and Nutnfancy on YouTube, and I learned all I could. Practiced dry fire with snap caps, ordered my first CrossBreed holster, then my second. Took the class and joined the multitudes of anxious waiters. (It should be in my mailbox today or Monday)

In other words, my life pretty much changed over the period of three months. I went from a sheep to a sheepdog-in-training. My psychological makeup underwent, and is still undergoing, changes to accomodate this way of thinking. I started walking several miles, several times a week. Getting back on my bike. Went on a diet with hopes of losing about 50 pounds. Sticking to it too! I purchased some close combat training videos since close up contact may be the first step of any conflict I would get into.

I started buying EDC gear. A nice Kershaw Tanto blade, a StreamLIght 180 lumen light, my Juice Leatherman. Looking at creating my BOB bags. Salivating over several rifles and shotguns, other blades, lights, clothing and miscellaneous accessories. Gotta get the first aid kits together. With my ER experience, I can add suturing supplies and minor surgery items. I spent 1.5 years in the ER after graduating Nurse Prac school, and my techniques are pretty good.

Oh, yeah...my clothing style changed. I went from being a t-shirt guy to a button shirt, or snap shirt kind of guy. I am 6' 1.5 inches in height and 265 pounds. I make sure I get the XXL "tall" shirts that comfortably cover what needs to be covered. Ordered a nice belt to support my holster, but don't like how thin it is. Going to order another since I am firmly convinced it will make a difference.

Bought a touchpad safe for the living room and a biometric safe for the bedroom

Oh, yes! I joined the NRA, and contribute to the NRA-ILA. If you don't do this, you shouldn't be allowed to carry...IMHO (Of course, the NRA lawyers would prove me wrong ). Support the people who do the unceasing work of protecting your right to carry. If one more pro-second Supreme Court Justice retires only to be replaced by an anti...then the balance will be on the wrong side of the scale. I do not have the personal time to fight these battles, but I have $25 bucks here and there to support their ongoing vigilance.

So, all of this was the result of my LEO encounter with a good man who believes the citizens should be armed at all times. What a ride the last three months have been! I truly feel like a different man.

Who were you before starting this journey...who are you now?

Thanks for reading this,

RJ

[Charles L. Cotton]

. . . Oh, yes! I joined the NRA, and contribute to the NRA-ILA. If you don't do this, you shouldn't be allowed to carry...IMHO (Of course, the NRA lawyers would prove me wrong ). Support the people who do the unceasing work of protecting your right to carry. If one more pro-second Supreme Court Justice retires only to be replaced by an anti...then the balance will be on the wrong side of the scale. I do not have the personal time to fight these battles, but I have $25 bucks here and there to support their ongoing vigilance.

So, all of this was the result of my LEO encounter with a good man who believes the citizens should be armed at all times. What a ride the last three months have been! I truly feel like a different man.

Who were you before starting this journey...who are you now?

Thanks for reading this,

RJ

Okay folks, I swear this isn't me posting under a different name! Really . . . it's not me.

Thanks for the post RJ.

Chas.

[TLynnHughes]

Thanks for the post, RJ! This is one of the best posts ever! Glad your initial encounter was a positive and motivating one.

I can relate to some of the things that you've mentioned. Entering the CHL (and IDPA) world has really changed my life for the better...well, except for the financial loss associated with buying guns and stuff. But heck, I would have spent it on something, might as well be supplies and ammunition.

T.

[flintknapper]

I work in hospitals for a living, and since I admit a lot of patients, I am in the ER a lot. Prior to becoming a Nurse Practitioner, I worked in ERs for 17 years as a nurse. In other words, I am constantly in the company of city, state and county officers.

I was speaking to a deputy last February and told him I was thinking of buying a gun. He fully encouraged me to do so and asked me if I carried in my vehicle. I told him I did not know I could. He looked at me like I was midly stupid. I then asked if it had to be unloaded and he almost stroked. No, he said, it needs to be loaded with one in the chamber. Can I keep it within reaching distance, or would that get me in trouble? Once again, the apoplectic look.

I went out the next day and bought my XDM 4.5" .45, my XDm 3.8" 9mm compact two weeks later, and my Kahr PM9 two weeks after that. I bought several books, joined sites like this one, watched people like Hickok45, SafeArmsReview and Nutnfancy on YouTube, and I learned all I could. Practiced dry fire with snap caps, ordered my first CrossBreed holster, then my second. Took the class and joined the multitudes of anxious waiters. (It should be in my mailbox today or Monday)

In other words, my life pretty much changed over the period of three months. I went from a sheep to a sheepdog-in-training. My psychological makeup underwent, and is still undergoing, changes to accomodate this way of thinking. I started walking several miles, several times a week. Getting back on my bike. Went on a diet with hopes of losing about 50 pounds. Sticking to it too! I purchased some close combat training videos since close up contact may be the first step of any conflict I would get into.

I started buying EDC gear. A nice Kershaw Tanto blade, a StreamLIght 180 lumen light, my Juice Leatherman. Looking at creating my BOB bags. Salivating over several rifles and shotguns, other blades, lights, clothing and miscellaneous accessories. Gotta get the first aid kits together. With my ER experience, I can add suturing supplies and minor surgery items. I spent 1.5 years in the ER after graduating Nurse Prac school, and my techniques are pretty good.

Oh, yeah...my clothing style changed. I went from being a t-shirt guy to a button shirt, or snap shirt kind of guy. I am 6' 1.5 inches in height and 265 pounds. I make sure I get the XXL "tall" shirts that comfortably cover what needs to be covered. Ordered a nice belt to support my holster, but don't like how thin it is. Going to order another since I am firmly convinced it will make a difference.

Bought a touchpad safe for the living room and a biometric safe for the bedroom

Oh, yes! I joined the NRA, and contribute to the NRA-ILA. If you don't do this, you shouldn't be allowed to carry...IMHO (Of course, the NRA lawyers would prove me wrong ). Support the people who do the unceasing work of protecting your right to carry. If one more pro-second Supreme Court Justice retires only to be replaced by an anti...then the balance will be on the wrong side of the scale. I do not have the personal time to fight these battles, but I have $25 bucks here and there to support their ongoing vigilance.

So, all of this was the result of my LEO encounter with a good man who believes the citizens should be armed at all times. What a ride the last three months have been! I truly feel like a different man.

Who were you before starting this journey...who are you now?

Thanks for reading this,

RJ

^^^^^^^^^^

Almost made me cry!

Good for you RJ!

Thanks for sharing your story.

[sugar land dave]

Great post! Congratulations on your life changing decision!

[mgood]

GREAT POST!!

. . . I was speaking to a deputy last February and told him I was thinking of buying a gun. He fully encouraged me to do so and asked me if I carried in my vehicle. I told him I did not know I could. He looked at me like I was midly stupid. I then asked if it had to be unloaded and he almost stroked. No, he said, it needs to be loaded with one in the chamber. Can I keep it within reaching distance, or would that get me in trouble? Once again, the apoplectic look. . . .

. . . So, all of this was the result of my LEO encounter with a good man who believes the citizens should be armed at all times. . . .

I would like to shake his hand.

[LikesShinyThings]

Great post. Wonderful transformation. You're a wise man.

My transformation was a lot slower in a lot of ways - shot my first gun around 13 years of age - some big hand cannon my uncle owned, and he and Dad and I went out on his back porch and shot it. I think I took one shot and was done for the day. The summer I was 16 and working/living on a farm, the owner introduced me to the Ruger 10/22, and showed me how to shoot prone. That was probably the most fun - I'd take it out every week or two and plink with it. (Finally bought my own 10/22 a couple weeks ago.) Then it was several more years of a generally non-either-way attitude toward guns. Fast forward to my first CHL about 15 years ago, but really didn't carry with it. About 10 years ago is when I really started to getting into being able to protect myself, taking additional classes, actually carrying with some regularity, learning the "condition levels" (really lived in condition white before then), until now where I'm far more cognizant of the issues and the need to be aware/able.

Wish I had been as sharp as you as quickly as you were. I lived a naive and trusting life for many years. Congratulations on seeing the light so clearly so quickly.

[Keith B]

Just have two things to say: and

[OldCurlyWolf]

I agree with Keith.

Next time you see that Deputy. Tell him there are a lot of people on this board that will tell him "THANKS"!

[TexasGal]

Sniff...
I can't see....where did I put that box of hankies?!
That was AWESOME! I feel like I was at a baptism just reading that.
I know the first time I ever made the loud "click" in my head was when a policeman sternly said much the same. God Bless the officers who do what they can to open our eyes.

[johnson0317]

Finally. I finally ran into the deputy that this post was about. I told him that there were several people that wanted to thank him. He gave me the raised eyebrow treatment, so I pulled up this thread on one of the computers in the ER. He read through it and gave me an inscrutable look. He has never been easy to read, which is, I am sure, exactly how he likes it. He stood up and said, "I am deeply pleased by that, in many ways". I took that to mean he was happy with it.

Like I said, he has not been there for awhile. There has been another, older, deputy there quite a bit. He and I get along fine because he credits my wife with saving his life...long story and I can't legally get into it. Anyway, I was asking where the other deputy had been. He told me, and then wanted to know why I was asking. I was busting at the seams to tell someone about my CHL. Well, I seemed to have pushed the joy button on the guy. Within seconds he was giving me advice about drawing and shooting from the hip in a close up situation...and so on, and so on. He LOVED giving me advice about how to shoot, how to practice, and so forth. He was equally pro-Joe Citizen having a CHL as my other friend is. I was supposed to be going to the other hospital down the street to admit a patient, but he held me up for a good 1/2 hour. I loved it.

I have to say, I know there are some LEOs that may not like us carrying, but if my two ER friends are any indication of the average thinking, then I think we should do just fine.

RJ