Revealing Carry Status at work

[tflhndn]

So, an interesting story about carrying at a new work place.

I work in real estate in North Carolina, and recently agreed to help out a friend (on a contract basis) who runs a rather large property management company as several key employees left, leaving her in a bit of a bind.

Anyway, the owner and her husband (both of who are VERY pro 2A), and two of the employees of the company (who are also friends of mine) know that I always carry. On Friday afternoon, after a long, frenetic Labor Day week trying to do five days of work in four, with two new people trying to help out, the owner treated everyone to champagne and several bottles of wine.

As we retired to the benches out back of the shop, I decided to take off the sport coat as the sun was still quite warm (and I didn’t want to be CC’ing when I left – its an NC law thing), thereby revealing the stainless steel 1911 on my side. As I returned to my seat, the receptionist (a nice young lady) noticed my pistol and turned to her co-worker (who happens to be the owner’s stepson) to ask why I had a gun. He replied, “he always has one.”

This of course prompted a quick discussion of carrying and why I did. Not a big deal, and I didn’t make one of it.

Then today, I overheard a conversation between the stepson and one of the other employees who has been kind of an acting office manager for a few weeks where she mentioned that she was glad to know I had a gun, since we handle so much cash in the office – I just had to smile.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[ccman]

Thats good to hear. Carry on.

[RMS]

Sounds like a great place to work.

[itowbigtruck]

Just make sure they know to keep it to themselves.

[vn6869]

Sounds like you found a niche.

[tflhndn]

While it would be nice if nobody knew, I have taken too many people out to the range for their first chance to shoot, and gotten too many people into getting their CC permits, compete in too many pistol matches and teach too many kids basic marksmanship in the local 4-H club for my sheepdog status to be too much of a secret among those who know me - but they do know better than to discuss it among strangers.

SIDE NOTE: Anybody ever noticed that carry status is like being gay - "don't ask, don't tell and that other carriers will not out someone or admit knowing somebody carries till the carrier outs himself? - Sorry just a random thought

[Bigdave196]

Dont ask dont tell, lol!!! Never looked at it that way, but it makes sence. Sounds like a good place to work as well.
Most of my friends carry as well, we never really mention it amongst each other, we just expect it. Who knows you might open up a door to help others persue their CCP in the office. Kind of like an inside Good ol Boy group at the office.

[SIGP250]

So, an interesting story about carrying at a new work place.

I work in real estate in North Carolina, and recently agreed to help out a friend (on a contract basis) who runs a rather large property management company as several key employees left, leaving her in a bit of a bind.

Anyway, the owner and her husband (both of who are VERY pro 2A), and two of the employees of the company (who are also friends of mine) know that I always carry. On Friday afternoon, after a long, frenetic Labor Day week trying to do five days of work in four, with two new people trying to help out, the owner treated everyone to champagne and several bottles of wine.

As we retired to the benches out back of the shop, I decided to take off the sport coat as the sun was still quite warm (and I didn’t want to be CC’ing when I left – its an NC law thing), thereby revealing the stainless steel 1911 on my side. As I returned to my seat, the receptionist (a nice young lady) noticed my pistol and turned to her co-worker (who happens to be the owner’s stepson) to ask why I had a gun. He replied, “he always has one.”

This of course prompted a quick discussion of carrying and why I did. Not a big deal, and I didn’t make one of it.

Then today, I overheard a conversation between the stepson and one of the other employees who has been kind of an acting office manager for a few weeks where she mentioned that she was glad to know I had a gun, since we handle so much cash in the office – I just had to smile.

Yours is good experience. I have an acquaintance who has (had) a CCW and decided to carry on college campus. He is staff. he showed several other staff his weapon. I think it was a .40, brand unknown. He was escorted off campus after some staff reported that he was showing his pistol. In my state, I believe this constitutes brandishing even if it was unintentional. I don't know where he got his training from but he was mistaken and misinformed by his instructor to believe that this would only be a minor offense and that he would be asked to leave.

Once I heard he was showing his pistols to others I called him an told him It was not very cool to do so and also illegal. He did not listen to me. He will now most likely loose his job and face misdemeanor charges for a first offense.

To make things even more difficult for him, when the campus Chief of Police stopped him at his car and asked to see his gun, he arrogantly showed it to him without asking for a search warrant.

[Bark'n]

Isn't it really nice when Anti's and sheep don't dominate the work place?

That was great story!

[ajohn151]

Great story!

[paramedic70002]

Then today, I overheard a conversation between the stepson and one of the other employees who has been kind of an acting office manager for a few weeks where she mentioned that she was glad to know I had a gun, since we handle so much cash in the office – I just had to smile.

Reply:

I'm not here 24/7; get your own gun! If you need help in that endeavor, let me know.

[varob]

My wife and I know a few female realtors. They all carry, saying, " I meet with strangers in mostly empty houses, based on a phone call".

Enough said.

[JimmyC4]

I may be in the minority on this, but I think it's good in a small work environment that people know what specific individuals are carrying--it just makes sense tactically to me.

Sounds like a comfy workplace!

[dairycreek]

As I returned to my seat, the receptionist (a nice young lady) noticed my pistol and turned to her co-worker (who happens to be the owner’s stepson) to ask why I had a gun. He replied, “he always has one.”

Nice, warm, fuzzy story but the OP was not using the best of judgement in revealing his concealed carry status. However, suppose the gossip (and that is what it was) goes in another direction to another set of unfriendly ears) and now the carrier is put at a disadvantage. Other than getting a case of the "warm fuzzies" revealing his carry status resulted in absolutely no advantage and, possible, a great disadvantage.

Don't tell! Don't ever tell

[Kevin Jensen]

SIDE NOTE: Anybody ever noticed that carry status is like being gay - "don't ask, don't tell and that other carriers will not out someone or admit knowing somebody carries till the carrier outs himself? - Sorry just a random thought

This has been brought up on opencarry.org many times. Gun owners "coming out of the closet".