[Lil Beaver]

We took our Westie into the vets office for her annual check-up, medicated bath for allergies, and to have a cyst checked yesterday. Our vet is a young lady five years out of vet school, attractive and very good at her work. She is also an extrovert and a very friendly type who likes to hug people! Well I seen the hug coming and quickly slipped my arm around her forcing her arm to the outside of mine to prevent her from contacting my concealed carry piece as I only had a light jacket covering it. After we left my wife started to laugh and said "she almost got you, I almost busted out laughing there in the examination room". I guess my wife could have slapped me for beating the vet to the hug though, instead of laughing about it, but she knew I was carrying and only preventing her from discovering my gun!

Both my wife and I were a little shocked when we had our first appointment with her several years ago, when she gave us both a big hug as we have never had a vet act that friendly? I will say she is one smart savvy vet though. We had been seeing another vet for her problems and he didn't seem to be able to get a handle on the problem, but the first visit with this vet she ran some tests, diagnosed the problem and give her a shot and sent us home with some medications for her and in twenty-four hours we couldn't believe the improvement, it was like a miracle!

 

[locknload]

At least you & the wife had a good laugh about the close call!

 

[Pollard1911]

Was it a no carry zone or more of a case of not wanting others to know you carry? I ask only due to the fact that I live in Illinois so I have no idea what it is like to be able to CCW. Genuine question.

 

[mingaa]

You are more concerned about her potential discovery than I would be. Her actions initiated the contact - what is the % that she says ( to herself) GUN! What about unknown hard object under shirt if even that. Maybe she carries. Maybe she does not care one bit.

Sure, ideally no one should and she doesn't but she takes you as a non hugger rather than a warm person with something under his shirt ( insulin pump?!) that is none of her personal or professional business.

 

[william]

Or you could be teaching Sunday School and have one of your 1st graders crawl under the table and discover that your pants rode a little higher up your leg than you expected.

 

[mingaa]

Is the church a well defined gun free zone - properly posted? No church of mine would be but That's another discussion.

 

[william]

Negative, mingaa, the carry was legal, if not a bit unsettling for some. I'm still a member in good standing.

 

[ETF]

I sometimes think that people worry too much about being made.

I always remember the first time I met the Kansas branch of my wife's family at a reunion. One of my wife's cousins, she worked for some state agency, threw her arms around me and gave me a hug. She released me, looked up at me smiling and said, "Darn Frank, you have a big one. Gun, I mean". All I could think of to say in reply was, "Yes, but I don't like to boast". End of topic. It was no big deal. I found out by the end of that long week-end that most of the men and a lot of the ladies (some of the kids too) either carried, possessed or shot pistols, shotguns or rifles. I love country people.

 

[Camo]

My vet for my dog is pretty hot also but I don't get hug's.

 

[Wolfie]

My vet open carries...guess ks is good like that.

 

[Divebum]

I've gotten over being worried about being "made." I carry where ever it is legal. Ohio is also an open carry state. To me, if someone sees my gun, it's no different than noticing that my shoe is untied, and certainly much less traumatic than someone noticing my zipper is down. If I have to go someplace where it is not legal to carry a gun, I don't carry. If I am carrying and I print or my shirt comes up or someone notices I don't think it's a big deal. If someone who does notice thinks it's a big deal, that's their problem. I think many people over react - both the person carrying and the person noticing.

 

[AirForceShooter]

What if she made you?
so what?

AFS

 

[ice]

I work at 2 different bars on the weekends, and I get hugs a lot.. Nobody has ever noticed.. or maybe they just dont care..

 

[ULII02]

This same scenario occurred to me one night at church. At the end of the service, the Pastor encouraged everyone to give a friendly hug on the way out. All of a sudden people from all direction were embracing each other. As usual, I was carrying my PT-145 residing in a Kholster under my sweater. Thinking quickly, I remained seated and fumbled through my Bible until the spontaneous hugs subsided. As the pew cleared, I made a mad dash through a side exit to avoid any potential hug(s) in the main lobby.

 

[jmichael1982]

That's the MN nice we are so well known for! And we are also known for raising some good looking and smart ladies too!

 

[Lil Beaver]

Was it a no carry zone or more of a case of not wanting others to know you carry? I ask only due to the fact that I live in Illinois so I have no idea what it is like to be able to CCW. Genuine question.

The vet clinic is not posted as banning guns so that was not an issue and the Minnesota permit is simply a carry permit and does not require concealed carry, but I simply prefer to not have people know that I carry. She probably wouldn't have been offended any way!

 

[Lmstncwby]

Had to do that a couple of times with buggy types at church while packing. You have to smooth while doing it, though. My buddy asked about that one afternoon while he was my house. I raised my shirt just enough to show him. He about fainted at first but recovered quickly and said that he understood completely. He will be getting his soon and I have been coaching him in his shooting.

 

[EternalDragon]

At a restaurant here in PA some off duty police came in with guns open carried. The
one worker got all hysterical and wanted them to leave because she felt threatened.
They tried to explain they were off duty police but I think they did leave and went somewhere else.

By the way, Pennsylvania is open carry but I don't see anyone doing it. I suppose you
would get some harassment from someone.

 

[treg]

I OC at my vets clinic.

She came to my place with a friend from out of state to pick up a horse I was training a couple years ago. Her friends eyes got big as saucers when she saw the Blackhawk on my hip. The friend was a nice gal, would like her to come back some day!

 

[spirit51]

So, here we have the issue. Legal to carry but worried someone will notice. It's either 'legal' or it isn't. Just my view - Concealed or open carry, if you make the 'personal' choice to carry and it is perfectly legal for you to carry, I wouldn't worry one way or the other. You have the legal right to carry and it is time we came out of the closet. You made the decision to carry inside your *church* (I don't agree with but respect your right to do so)...then you might have figured someone might give you a hug or bump you. Same with a movie theater or bar, resturant. Those that know you, know you're not some crazy...crazies don't carry concealed in most cases. If it is legal...we shouldn't run for the door.

And -
I don't agree with the term "being made.' You're not a criminal, weirdo, crazy with a gun. You're a citizen in a state that it is legal (under the law) to carry (open or concealed). Defend that right. Don't make excuses. True enough that those who you knew before you made the decision to carry may not like it or you for doing so. The decision comes with a load of responsibilities and you might lose some of those 'friends.'

You'll get those who might say - "this is a chruch. A place to worship not a need to carry a weapon." There are lots of examples these days of why that might be a good decision to carry.