The phone operator had scheduled the repairman to come to my house between 8am-12pm. Of course, 100% of the time whenever a company schedules me for a time slot, the repair person shows up about 5 minutes after the latest time. Since I know this, I was not concerned that 8am is the exact time I am running around getting my kids ready for school, but I should have been.
I woke up this morning and put my yoga like pants on and I had a little spaghetti strap top on. No gun, no cover garment. Just me in my morning attire. Let's not tell any of the people who train me that my gun was not on me even though it has
I am in the kitchen packing snacks for the kiddos when my daughter says, "Hey, mom there is some guy at the door." She did not open the door she can just see him standing there. I look at sure enough there is a man at our door, it is the guy from Se@rs.
I open the door, he hands me a card, says his name and I let him in. He seems very nice. I show him to the laundry room and he starts to work on the washer. I was not at all concerned that my gun was not on me. I was expecting him, he was driving a company van, he was wearing the company uniform, he handed me a card, his posture towards me was fine. Not a big deal. But then I started to think about all the stories I have heard and read about repairman not really being repairman. I have read a lot about repairman who don't commit crimes every time they make a call, but sometimes, some of them might engage in a crime of opportunity. I look at a him and think he seems nice, but he is rather larger. I think I probably should put my gun on, but this is easier said than done. My gun is in a place where if I went to grab it, the man could see me get it from the laundry room. I have other guns upstairs, but my kids are waiting on the sitars for the bus, so I don't want to call them up with me and I don't want to leave them alone with him, so I am in a quandary. What to do...
Also, am not wearing the right clothes. Can't just grab my gun and slide it on. I have to figure that out first. Again, I am not really concerned about this, but I am half way thinking idiot, should have had my gun on and half way thinking this is good training. Probably don't need to get my gun on, but it's a challenge and I want to finishing thinking how I can solve this dilemma. I go into my downstairs closet and grab a jacket which I am sure seemed strange because it is like 80 degrees, but it was just a little windbreaker and not my huge winter jacket plus regardless I needed something for a cover garment.
The bus comes, I send the kids off and I go into my kitchen where I can see him clearly and where my gun is. I do busy work and wait for a chance to get my gun. He turns his back and I seize the opportunity. Grab my gun, go into the next room, slide my Remora on, tuck my gun in there, tighten drawstrings on pants, fix jacket. Success! I am armed.
Again, I had no reason to be concerned and I wasn't. I also know the gun is not a magic answer to whatever could possibly happen if the washer repairman decided to go all bad guy on me, but I feel more confident in my skills to handle bad guy situations with my gun than without it.
Fortunately, the third time is a charm, he fixed the washer!!! He is standing inside our laundry room which is small and with really bad lightening. He asks me to come in there so he can show me the paperwork and have me sign a few things. I decide that just for practice, I am not going to go in there. Normally, if I don't want to do something, but someone asks me to, I do it. I was not worried about going in there, but I have done things before that I felt uncomfortable doing and I wanted to practice saying no, so I said, "Actually, would you mind coming out here and letting me look at those?" He said, "Oh, sure the light is probably better for you in the kitchen". I said, "Yep, sure is, thank you."
I read. I signed. He left. All is well.
You handled that with great thought and tact. I've had workers, when I had a home repair project going on, ask to come in and use the bathroom, I say sure, there's one off the kitchen you can get to without walking on carpet, but I stayed outside on the driveway within eye and ear shot of the neighbors until they are out and I made sure the dog was inside, baby gated into the rest of the house, but barking at them should they try to wander into the rest of the house.
ReplyDeleteThank you Brigid. I have learned a lot from your post on these kinds of things.
DeleteAGirl- You did great on assessing the situation and even better on how you weighed the options and waited for the opportunity to get the tools you are most comfortable using, yes repairmen for the most part are decent people, but you stepped up your awareness, knew where and what the children were doing, where the repairman was. Once you had all these factors inlaid you created a plan of action moved to the most advantageous over watch you had, made a mental note of his actions and the routes you planned to use and how to carry and conceal your weapon. Mission successful!
ReplyDeleteARETE.
Ha! Look at you being all nice to me. You didn't even tell me to uncross my legs or that I should have had my gun!! Your getting soft...lol
DeleteThanks! You know I try to make you proud.
Nice job! Now, tomorrow - dressed and armed before you leave your bedroom for the day??? Hummmm?? :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, that probably is the better plan:)
DeleteLast night we got home late. I wasn't carrying since we were going to a no carry site (university) for a softball game. I know I should have had 'Lizzy' with me but I didn't she was next to the bed - more issues there of course. We got home, ate some dinner, got ready for bed and I went upstairs. It was dark in the bedroom and I realized that although we saw no sign of break-in, I was going into a dark room with my weapon on the other side of the room along with the light switch. Dawned on me, how can I protect myself? Reminded me why people say you should always carry and be prepared. Well, I got to the other side of the room, 'Lizzy' was still there and all was fine. BUT, some things are sinking in . . . I need to be more aware - even in my own home.
ReplyDeleteMore of my ways changing slowly!
Kim
And I'm not armed today! My place of work doesn't allow even in the parking lot . . . makes me mad since I have a 50 minute drive.
DeleteLove that story! Good for you. Funny how all the things we read and learn just start to sink in and little by little we become more aware of what we are doing and what we need to do.
DeleteExcellent!
Your laws may vary but in sc your work cant tell you no gun in your car if it cant be seen. Since the law says it has to be in the dash or console work will never see it. They have that rule at my work as well but if your not telling anyone else about it your fine. If you ever need it while in your car at work then finding a new job shouldnt be your biggest concern.
ReplyDeleteAwesome!! great idea to "practice" saying No and being in control of the situation! Every day you give me hope for all the strength us girls have hidden within us. :)
ReplyDeleteNice that we can all be a support to each other, isn't it? Thanks for the comment!
DeleteI think you did very well!
ReplyDeleteThank you:)
DeleteYou 'fixed' the situation... And you were thinking the whole time, THAT is what it takes to stay safe!
ReplyDeleteI know, look at me thinking and stuff! Cool, right?!
Deletealso, yoga pants allow one to scratch one's self easier.
ReplyDeletewhat? they do, too!
Lol, good to know.
DeleteYou are 100% right. I brought lunch to my husband and Arête today and I was barely in the door before he said the same thing to me. My heart sank a little because honestly it never occurred to me. Since I wasn't in danger, of course, I had no reason to go get a knife, but as I was thinking and practicing,mi never once thought about the knives or anything else in my kitchen.
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU for pointing that out!!!!
Those Remora holsters are great for holstering with unconventional belt lines.
ReplyDeleteAnd, like you, I never considered the point about the knife. I might go look for one now.
+1 on a knife.
ReplyDeleteGreat to have a good concealable carry knife like this: http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-Kiridash-Black-Handle/dp/B001RAS48W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336080898&sr=8-1
or this: http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-Mini-Plain-Knife/dp/B004MNAKYM/ref=sr_1_67?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1336080959&sr=1-67
But don't restrict your thinking to "official" weapons. Improvisation is good. You were in the kitchen, probably plenty of knives and forks there. You could be casually cutting something an not look out of place. Pens and pencils and pretty much anything else with a point can do in a pinch.
Also don't rule out impact weapons. Wine bottle (bonus: if you break it, now you have pointed edgy weapon). A tightly rolled magazine or newspaper doesn't sound all that impressive, but any weapon is better than nothing. Where do you keep household tools, like screwdrivers and hammers and utility knives/boxcutters?
You are a tool-using human, and humans, with their brains and opposable thumbs, can convert nearly anything to be a weapon.
Keep up with the knife training. There is, or can be, a lot of overlap with empty hands and stick/club fighting.
And BIG +1 on having him come out into the kitchen. I really have no doubt he was a stand-up guy, but recognizing that you could change the environment to something you were more comfortable with, and one he didn't plan on, was excellent.
Thanks!! Love all the info! I was most impressed with asking him to come into the kitchen. It sounds silly I am sure, but it was a big step for me. Thanks for mentioning it!
DeleteGood story, good lesson to the rest of us to make sure we're aware of our surroundings, and that we DO have the ability to change our circumstances in most cases.
ReplyDeleteThank you!!!!!!
DeleteMy PJs include a Fenix PD20, a 4" folding knife, a Kel-Tec P3AT, and a tube of Chapstick. Unless I'm in the shower, I have these items on me at all times, from the moment I get out of bed to right before getting back into it. That way I'm adequately equiped around the house, and for a walk down to the street to take the trash down or check the mail. All of this stuff is light enough and small enough to ride in track pants like they're not even there. I use a DeSantis Super Fly holster for the P3AT, which is very similar in texture to Remora holsters; with that I can either let it ride in a pocket or in my waistband.
ReplyDeleteThat's just an example of in-home attire that may work for you. Of course going out for any length of time includes more firepower.
I need to get me some pj's like those:). Seriously, though, thanks for sharing. I am normally very good at wearing my gun. I do need to supplement my gear though beyond my gun.
DeleteA great story!
ReplyDeleteI'm reminded of something Kathy Jackson said in her book. No, a gun is not a cure for all bad situations. But it has an interesting effect -- by carrying it, you were no doubt calmer about dealing with a stranger, because you knew you could defend yourself if you had to. So, if a gun helps you be friendly and relaxed toward a stranger, instead of suspicious and paranoid, doesn't that make your life better right there?
I guess a chemist might refer to a gun in that situation as a catalyst. It makes something good happen just by being there.
Please do keep up the good work! Your blog posts are more important than you know... because you tell a story that needs to be told, in a manner very few people are willing to tell it. Thank you.
with great respect,
Daniel in Brookline
Hi Daniel! Thank you! Your right,with proper training a gun can add a sense of calm just by being there. Love Kathy's book!!
ReplyDelete