david58
Member
Took my dogs for a walk on the canyon rim today, less than five minutes from the house we are in the junipers and sage above the Rio Grande in New Mexico. Looked at my .38 on my desk, said naaah, it's daylight and the coyotes are deep in the woods.
Before this, driving home, I noticed an empty police car near the grocery I had just visited. Then, a few blocks later, there were several cars parked in the lot of the car repair shop, next to the bank. Story continues...
So, sans pistol, or really anything other than a few rocks I picked up, my Leatherman tool, and two leashes, I am hiking my dogs along the trail and hear a helicopter in the distance. Hmmm, says I, it's circling that car shop next to the bank. Circles got larger, pretty soon flying low over where I was walking. It became quite clear that there was a search going on related to that passel of squad cars parked at the car shop. It was also clear that a runner might well head my way, or generally into the park, to escape the search. And me, out for a walk out where a fugitive bank robber on foot might want to roam. Found out about the bank part once I got to the dog park with my Airedales.
I realized that a chance encounter could be less than optimal, me without a shooter and not exactly suited for anything hand-to-hand. I like to think my dogs would come to my aid, as being set upon by two Airedales would be very unpleasant, but I can't exactly place much confidence in something I have seen no sign of yet. Got home by walking a pretty wide-open track to the house, figuring that if there was a BG out there he'd be hiding, not accosting some guy with two big terriers.
But all in all, I came to a realization of my defenselessness without a gun. I am 60, not particulary muscular, have a heart condition and the related lack of fitness, and have two toothy dogs that would rather lick than tooth. No more walks without the gun. And, even though the snubby hides well in my pocket, I will carry my CZ75, since it makes me look like a good shot and it has three times the bang as my LCR. No more walks in the out and about without a gun, nor visits to towns in the valley. And, they don't provide much defense in the safe, so some of the pistols will be at reach in the house. I know all this, and have known it for years. It just took feeling naked to make it real.
Before this, driving home, I noticed an empty police car near the grocery I had just visited. Then, a few blocks later, there were several cars parked in the lot of the car repair shop, next to the bank. Story continues...
So, sans pistol, or really anything other than a few rocks I picked up, my Leatherman tool, and two leashes, I am hiking my dogs along the trail and hear a helicopter in the distance. Hmmm, says I, it's circling that car shop next to the bank. Circles got larger, pretty soon flying low over where I was walking. It became quite clear that there was a search going on related to that passel of squad cars parked at the car shop. It was also clear that a runner might well head my way, or generally into the park, to escape the search. And me, out for a walk out where a fugitive bank robber on foot might want to roam. Found out about the bank part once I got to the dog park with my Airedales.
I realized that a chance encounter could be less than optimal, me without a shooter and not exactly suited for anything hand-to-hand. I like to think my dogs would come to my aid, as being set upon by two Airedales would be very unpleasant, but I can't exactly place much confidence in something I have seen no sign of yet. Got home by walking a pretty wide-open track to the house, figuring that if there was a BG out there he'd be hiding, not accosting some guy with two big terriers.
But all in all, I came to a realization of my defenselessness without a gun. I am 60, not particulary muscular, have a heart condition and the related lack of fitness, and have two toothy dogs that would rather lick than tooth. No more walks without the gun. And, even though the snubby hides well in my pocket, I will carry my CZ75, since it makes me look like a good shot and it has three times the bang as my LCR. No more walks in the out and about without a gun, nor visits to towns in the valley. And, they don't provide much defense in the safe, so some of the pistols will be at reach in the house. I know all this, and have known it for years. It just took feeling naked to make it real.
