Very cool experience today

[TN_Mike]

I got called into work today at about 2:15pm. Had to go to one of our remote locations to deal with a problem with a piece of electronic equipment. Turned out to be no big deal, it was hot in the building because the temp outside was so high. Took a little tweaking and everything was fine. I was there for about an hour.

But, I got pretty hot in the process. So on the way home I decided to stop at my favorite Subway store for an ice cold soda to drink on the drive home. As I usually do, when I go to this particular remote location, I was open carrying my Glock 23. (open carry is 100% legal here in Tennessee for those who do not know)

So I walked up to the counter and the owners wife was there. (they are very nice people. I believe they are from India.) She knows me on sight and asks if I want the usual, which is a 6 inch roasted chicken breast sub on wheat with lots of veggies and a 32 ounce drink.
I tell her no, just the 32 ounce drink today. As she rings me up, her nephew comes to the counter from in back (he looks to be about 23 or so) and he notices my Glock on my right hip almost immediately.

He asked me if I was a police officer and I told him no.

He then asked if I was Security, to which I said again, no.

Then he got a puzzled look on his face and pointed at the gun and asked why I had that on then.

I told him "because I work in Memphis and there is a high crime rate in Memphis."

Then he looks at the gun and asks me: "Can anyone get a license to have a gun with them?"

I explained what is required to get a permit to carry in TN and the basics of the class that you go through and the procedure for applying for the permit.

After I was done explaining it to him he said this: "America is truly the greatest country in the world if anyone can have a gun to protect their life from the criminals! I love America!"

Buddy, that made me proud as I could be to be an American. The owners wife told me she had never noticed me wearing the gun before and was surprised when I told her I had been wearing the gun every time I had come into the store.

Now, for any of you who watch the A&E show "The First 48" this Subway is in the same shopping center, just 2 doors down from the tattoo parlor where the female owner was shot and killed in an episode featured on the show. I went there to eat the day that all of that happened. The Subway was open and the tattoo shop was taped off with crime scene tape and cop cars still everywhere.
She told me I was welcome to come in the store anytime I wanted with my gun and that she now felt safer knowing I was always armed when I am there. She even said that she and her husband, a heck of a nice guy, would be interested in getting their permits.

So there you go. A great example of open carry causing 3 people to become interested in obtaining their permits to protect their lives and those of their family, and their business.
It was a great experience.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[matt8185]

Outstanding Story!

Matt

[SilenceDoGood]

Whenever I open carry I think of myself as an ambassador for gun rights i.e. always polite and always minding my best manners because I think it changes people views about guns, just like you did Mike. If you are approcahable people might ask you a question and you just might have the opprotunity to inform someone about somthing that may save thier lives!

Good job!

[Bark'n]

Mike...

[Hoozyerdaddy]

Great story I wish all the tales I hear were as good. Like SilenceDoGood said I always keep on my toes to make all of us CCWers look like the creme of the crop. What better way to make the point we're the good guys.

[dukalmighty]

That's a great story It makes me feel good when people from another country who don't have a clue about how to get a gun to protect themselves find out that any law abiding citisen or resident alien can.I was watching the show where that tattoo parlour was involved and it was pretty tragic,they were robbed by people they thought they could trust.I think your next move might be to invite them to go shooting

[Agave]

That's pretty awesome Mike. On Friday, I was in downtown Memphis and saw three or four people - without badges - carrying openly on Main Street. I thought about you.

I had a similar experience - carrying openly and being questioned by foreigners - in Jackson very recently

[mp45fan]

Strong work!

[TN_Mike]

Whenever I open carry I think of myself as an ambassador for gun rights i.e. always polite and always minding my best manners because I think it changes people views about guns, just like you did Mike. If you are approcahable people might ask you a question and you just might have the opprotunity to inform someone about somthing that may save thier lives!

Good job!

That is exactly the way I comport myself when out and about in public with my gun openly carried. As I have said in the past, I have had no bad comments on my OC. I have always had positive comments and just as in this case, have been able to talk to whomever asked about the need for folks to arm themselves and take responsibility for their own safety.

Like you I also consider myself am ambassador to the non-gun educated public from our side.

[QKShooter]

A nice outcome.
I moved your story out of Concealed Carry Issues and Discussion and into Humor and Off Topic since it is not a Concealed Carry related story and we really do not have a specific area of the forum set aside for Open Carry stories since we are primarily a Concealed Carry forum.

[rdoggsilva]

It is great when people from other countries respond like that. It does make you proud and happy to be a American.

[TN_Mike]

A nice outcome.
I moved your story out of Concealed Carry Issues and Discussion and into General Firearms Discussion since it is not a Concealed Carry related story.

You know QK, I actually thought that I should have posted it here anyway. I thought about it right after I actually posted it.

Sorry for the bother.

[QKShooter]

No Problem. I first moved it into Gen. Firearm Discussion but, it really did not fit there either.
A good story with a good positive outcome though.

[grady]

Excellent!

I keep planning to research MO's laws (and my town's laws) on OC... then I keep forgetting.

[Jason Rogers]

Whenever I open carry I think of myself as an ambassador for gun rights i.e. always polite and always minding my best manners because I think it changes people views about guns, just like you did Mike. If you are approcahable people might ask you a question and you just might have the opprotunity to inform someone about somthing that may save thier lives!

Good job!

+1. Here in Virginia we must open carry in any establishment where alcohol is consumed, so prety much anywhere exept McDonalds and its ilk. I always dress in at least "buisness casual" and mind my manners.-Jay