[Godasmypilot]

I figure it's time to start one of these. I've finally gotten over my NJ OC gun shyness, thanks to all of you here. I'm bringing my parents around too, after hearing about the rash of home invasions in LSD, my dad actually asked my mom if she had a loaded gun somewhere in the house. She responded that while she didn't, she had started thinking about it.

This shows progress, along with the fact that she let me go grocery shopping with her finally! Yes, that's right, I would have to wait in the car with my gun while she went shopping when I started OC. She claimed that she didn't want 'to be targeted' as being with the guy with the gun. I respected her wishes and I 'stuck to my guns' refusing to just stow the gun and stride in unarmed and she finally let me go shopping with her at the Food Lion in Harrington. I feel so lucky and priviledged! If she didn't cave because she got over her fear of OC, she definitely wanted the help getting the groceries in the car!

Yesterday, prior to the pleasant experience I had meeting the lady at the Bridgeville Goodwill, I had a funny experience with the guys from IDPA when we went for pizza after the shoot. We do unofficial IDPA practice on Wednesday mornings at the Bridgeville Rifle and Pistol Club and then the guys go for pizza afterwards in Greenwood and Cafe Tamborelli. It was non-eventful with the waittress who served us, there was no comment there, but one in our party was from Maryland (poor soul). As I sat down he spotted my Beretta, his eyes grew 'heart attack' wide and he blurted "Is that legal?" I said "Yes, open carry is legal in Delaware." as I continued to sit down. My mother and a friend of mine from the range backed me up on that and then his heart rate visibly seemed to stabilize.

[JägerMatthias]

Haha. You can count on those Maryland folk. Always good for a laugh.

[Godasmypilot]

Haha. You can count on those Maryland folk. Always good for a laugh.

Indeed, let's not forget the Jersey folks either. I should know, I was one of THEM! Feels good to breathe American air instead of the smog of a politically correct bureaucracy! I know Delaware is far from perfect, but it is NOT Jersey!

[dave_in_delaware]

Congratulations on your OC experiences. Welcome to the club!

One part of your story disturbs me a little, where you say she "let you" come along with her this time? What are you? 12? Yes, I know you did what you did to keep the peace (so to speak), but there shouldn't have been any debate or "this time" kind of thing.

I open carried when my parents came to visit me. While they're not anti-, they're not exactly pro-gun either (I guess you could say "neutral"). They didn't say much about it, probably because no one really noticed at the restaurant we went to. But when we were leaving and I put my coat on and tucked my coat behind my holster, my grandmother asked "Why don't you just cover that up?" to which I had to say "I can't. THEN I'd be breaking the law." To this day they don't really think I should carry, but I just have to remind them about what happened in my own driveway, and then they sort of understand.

My point is: don't let anyone talk you out of carrying, or limit when/where you can, especially family. They, of all people, should understand WHY you carry in the first place.

Keep the OC log going!!!

[Tony T]

Stuff a couple Deloc trifolds in your back pocket just in case.

[Boots]

... One part of your story disturbs me a little, where you say she "let you" come along with her this time? What are you? 12? Yes, I know you did what you did to keep the peace (so to speak), but there shouldn't have been any debate or "this time" kind of thing.

I don't see where there was a debate. His mom said she didn't want him to come into the store with her while wearing that gun, and he honored her wishes. Obviously she would have been very uncomfortable at that time to be seen with a man wearing a gun. Do you think the situation would have been improved by his insistence on coming with her?

I think he did the right thing at the time by waiting in the car. You change people's attitudes by having a convincing argument, not by forcing anything on them.

[GatorDude]

I agree Boots. And it seems his tactics have worked as she's working into a level of comfort. I'd say that's success!

[dave_in_delaware]

Well, my fault then. I guess "waiting in the car" was the preferred action at the time. Maybe it's just me, but... [deleted] Oh, never mind. I'm not going to argue. If he's happy with everything that happened, then that's what matters.

At least he's allowed to carry around Mom now.

[Godasmypilot]

Dave, I perfectly understand what you're saying, and that was my attitude at first as well. I've been raised to think that OC and CC should be allowed everywhere in the U.S. like it is in Vermont and Alaska. I guess for my parents, both of whom had never carried before outside of transferring their guns from the case to the shooting bench, they hadn't yet adapted to the reality of carrying. To them it's dangerous, and I agree, it is, especially if you don't know what you're doing. But it's far less dangerous than the alternative of course. I once had a discussion with an uncle of mine on this topic, in the discussion he kind of outlined my parents' old feeling on OC, even though he was discussing CC.

My uncle's philosophy is basically that if you have a gun in a situation you WILL be targeted. No if ands or buts. He is a combat veteran that has done three tours in Iraq with the Air Force, I respect his decision not to carry, even though I don't think it's a wise decision. My parents do not yet carry, but I'm hoping that my presence around the house with a gun on my hip will pull them into carrying eventually.

Boots, thanks. Yeah, I can't win an argument with my parents by just yelling at them even if I am right. There are three basic ways to change someone's view. You can be patient, persuasive, or forceful. I'd already exhausted my eloquence in the persuasive pursuits, so I had to move on to one of the other two. But I knew I couldn't be forceful. It just doesn't work when you live under their roof, unless you're prepared to move out in a hurry! I figured the Harrington Food Lion isn't known to be the local criminal hangout, so I relaxed a little and I didn't push my point. In a way I was 'allowing' my mother to go in unprotected. I was prepared to have to sit outside a whole year if necessary. It worked out and I'm happy that it got resolved, now Mom is even getting into IDPA and shootng when I go! Who knows, we may see her OC to a meeting someday in the future! She's getting more interested and I even have a pistol that she really likes!8-)

[dave_in_delaware]

... It just doesn't work when you live under their roof, unless you're prepared to move out in a hurry!...

Oh, my bad. I didn't know you still lived w/ your parents. But still.....