Going Postal - A True Holiday Story

[SpatiallyAware]

The only problem is YOUR ACTIONS MADE THIS A POSSIBLE COMBAT SITUATION!!!

Get it through your head!

- You're paranoid delusional.
- You were in a post office.
- You were among peers (whether you think so or not).
- You were dealing with an employee, and more so a human being.
- There was a fucking barrier between you and the employee.

Whether the clerk raised his voice or not (which at this point I seriously doubt it was significant enough to be considered "yelling"), YOUR actions made it a potential combative situation. There is no gray area here. It's not like you were in some sort of dark back alley at midnight surrounded by gang members. You were in a public place surrounded by witnesses. This situation would never have escalated to violence in the first place.

You're obviously not the type of person to give anyone the benefit of the doubt, but you seriously need to get your head checked and for the love of god have your carry permit revoked. You are unstable, delusional and obviously paranoid. I can't stress this enough. YOU are going to get someone killed. More than likely someone innocent, and/or quite possibly yourself.

As a CCW carrier I fully agree with this.



PoW you're a ticking timebomb based just on your own misguided accounts. Carry pepper spray instead, so you maim instead of kill someone.

 

[Perknose]

The irony here is that a credit card would have "protected" you more and better than your gun would have.

Needlessly upping the drama by going for your piece in such a pussy-assed ridiculous situation would have been dumber than trying to make your way as an adult in America w/o at least a back-up credit card.

Obligatory advice: Be the change you wish to see in the world. :awe:

 

[MrChad]

I think the moral of the story is don't respond to rudeness and screaming with more rudeness and screaming. I pictured myself in your situation and my response to the clerk would have been something like, "OK, I don't have any other ideas. What would you suggest?" which puts the problem-solving issue back on him.

Seems you have an extremely short fuse.

OP, I know a lot of folks like you so I don't think I read your reaction as extreme as other folks do. If you carry a weapon intelligently, you train to be ready with it in certain situations and I read your reaction where you fell into a stance as readiness out of habit, not aggression.

However, you should include as part of your training that the first response you give should always be the most likely one to be successful. In this case, the most likely successful response would have been a calm, measured, "Please go get your supervisor," first to resolve the situation, second (if you feel it was really warranted) to file a formal complaint and possibly get the guy fired.

Yelling back and making a physically aggressive move simply weakened the likelihood of accomplishing your primary and secondary goals. Wrong approach, opened you up to risk.

These are the best pieces of advice in the thread.

 

[Thebobo]

Why don't I like going out in public over the holidays you ask?
...... instinctively dropping my wrap to allow access to my gun just in case, which isn't even there since I can't bring it into the post office. Of course, my empty holster is now visible to all the rest of the people in line, who now freak out. .

just in case the postal man does what?

 

[purbeast0]

awww i ran out of replies to read 🙁

 

[highland145]

awww i ran out of replies to read 🙁

It's raining and 75 here. Just got back from the gym. No more exercise until Monday.

 

[TallBill]

Lol at op fail on so many levels. This isn't the wild west, and your mentality is exactly what keeps people with little firearm education from wanting ccw in the world.

Getting in a yelling match does not warrant thinking about drawing a firearm.

And clearly you lack normal social skills.

I do find it odd that they didn't have change for you though. But I guess things like that happen in fiction.

 

[OutHouse]

back up and get in a defensive stance, instinctively dropping my wrap to allow access to my gun just in case

just in case of what exactly? him taking a swing at you and you put two in the chest and one in the head?????

in my opinion you need your ccw license revoked i feel you are a danger to society.

this is not the wild west and you are not a cop.



and yes i also have a CCW and would never do what you just did.

 

[OutHouse]

Only in as much as obtaining insurance is going towards having an accident. I was making the correct preparations for possible combat with an unknown outcome.

if it did come to "combat" as you put it and you pulled your iron in a post office your stupid ass would be in federal prison for a long time.

you are damn lucky that you did take your piece out of your holster. you would be in a world of shit if anybody in that post office called the cops on you.

 

[Oil]

This story is really sad if true

 

[Perknose]

It's raining and 75 here. Just got back from the gym. No more exercise until Monday.

Chewing at Christmas dinner counts as exercise. Just do what street-wise sex professionals do, don't swallow. 😛

And arguing with your least favorite relatives counts double! We really should consider the whole seasonal experience a marathon, and start training by buying useless crap and overeating in July. :biggrin:

 

[cKGunslinger]

Wow. You are.. awful. Just awful. 🙁

Or potentially awesome.. I'm not sure which. But I'm leaning towards the former..

 

[cKGunslinger]

They increase costs, just by their existence. Takes money to print them, do the paperwork, recordkeeping, advertising, etc. Many carry annual fees and such to offset, but bottom line is they're just a bad idea.

Actual, at this point, I would imagine that cash is the real cost-prohibitive form of payment (maybe checks, as well.) Do you not think that cash has a printing cost? :hmm:

Electronic transactions are the (very near) future. Cash is dead, my friend.

 

[Nebor]

This thread is a pretty strong argument against civilians being allowed to carry firearms in public. The OP comes across as some right wing radical separatist nut job just waiting for someone to "give him a reason."

 

[TheVrolok]

I'm glad this thread is still giving me some entertainment.

 

[highland145]

Chewing at Christmas dinner counts as exercise. Just do what street-wise sex professionals do, don't swallow. 😛

And arguing with your least favorite relatives counts double! We really should consider the whole seasonal experience a marathon, and start training by buying useless crap and overeating in July. :biggrin:

Wise words but my Mother would be very unhappy if I spit Christmas dinner on the floor. Upside, the brittany spaniel would be overjoyed.

Electronic transactions are the (very near) future. Cash is dead, my friend.

😱 I didn't even know it was sick.:'(

Wondered what that smell was under the mattress.

 

[purbeast0]

Actual, at this point, I would imagine that cash is the real cost-prohibitive form of payment (maybe checks, as well.) Do you not think that cash has a printing cost? :hmm:

Electronic transactions are the (very near) future. Cash is dead, my friend.

yea, you also forgot about the cost of mailing out checks or money orders. that costs an envelope and a stamp. or if he goes and drops off all his bills, that is a cost on wear and tear on his car, as well as gas. then it takes the stores time to have employees count cash register drawers and enter all the totals.

he would be an idiot (which wouldn't surprise me in the least after reading this thread) to think that there is absolutely no cost involved in using cash.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

yea, you also forgot about the cost of mailing out checks or money orders. that costs an envelope and a stamp.

And we all know how well he handles the post office. Shit, if he went that route, he'd probably be spending an extra $300 a year on ammo.

 

[PrinceofWands]

So, the next time you DO have your gun, and someone yells at you... you're just gonna shoot em.

yea you're fcking nuts OP

edit:
you need to watch this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6-fskZimu4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Been carrying 15 years, people have yelled many times and a few have even come to blows. Never been an issue before, and it won't be in the future. I don't draw unless a weapon is in play or I'm facing significant risk if I don't (like 4 to 1 determined to injure).

 

[PrinceofWands]

OP, I know a lot of folks like you so I don't think I read your reaction as extreme as other folks do. If you carry a weapon intelligently, you train to be ready with it in certain situations and I read your reaction where you fell into a stance as readiness out of habit, not aggression.

However, you should include as part of your training that the first response you give should always be the most likely one to be successful. In this case, the most likely successful response would have been a calm, measured, "Please go get your supervisor," first to resolve the situation, second (if you feel it was really warranted) to file a formal complaint and possibly get the guy fired.

Yelling back and making a physically aggressive move simply weakened the likelihood of accomplishing your primary and secondary goals. Wrong approach, opened you up to risk.

Yep, which I agreed with more than once. Usually I'm fine. This one just pushed a button somehow and got me. Entirely possible it was just my overall emotional state from the holidays, or who knows what else.

 

[dud]

Why don't I like going out in public over the holidays you ask?

So I take my package for my daughter to the post office to ship it out. Since it's just a few minutes after open I'm 2nd in line. I go up to the second window and do my business. The total comes to just under $30, which is about what I'd figured. I pull out a $50 (smallest bill I have at the time) and hand it over. The guy looks at it and says "I can't break this...we just opened and I don't have enough in the till yet."

"Oh, yeah, sorry...I didn't think about it being so early for you guys." I take the money back and double check my wallet to see if I have any smaller bills hidden. I don't. "Sorry, that's the smallest I have," I say apologetically, "what's the nearest bank to here and I'll go get it changed."

"We take all credit and debit cards sir." he says.

"Yeah, I don't use plastic, or even banks." I'm about to apologize again and run for change when the worker suddenly nearly screams at me - "YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE! YOU'VE ALREADY STARTED IN THE SYSTEM!"

"EXCUSE ME?!" I scream back at him, "We're DONE now, go get your supervisor IMMEDIATELY, or you might as well just call the cops now and save time!" With everyone gawking in stunned silence the postal worker (living up to their unofficial moniker) grabs the counter as if to come over it at me. I back up and get in a defensive stance, instinctively dropping my wrap to allow access to my gun just in case, which isn't even there since I can't bring it into the post office. Of course, my empty holster is now visible to all the rest of the people in line, who now freak out. At this point the other worker at the counter has snapped the guy out of his rage somehow and he storms off into the back.

As I stand there utterly flabbergasted they bring out change for a $50 from the back and quickly process my package. I tell the guy I'll take insurance on it since I'm afraid for the treatment of the package now, which he adds without comment. As I head out to my car, past the frightened public who is now looking at ME like I'm the devil when I was the victim of the whole affair, I see the angry worker slamming out of the back of the post office. Needless to say I quickly rearmed myself and drove cautiously home, watching for a maniac following me.

Now that I've thought it over a bit, I'm actually more shocked and angry than I was at the time it happened. I understand businesses getting frustrated with changing big bills. All the shit runs downhill unto the poor front line workers. They're told to treat the customers right and then yelled at when it inconveniences the business. The company tells them not to keep money in the till in case they're robbed, and then yells at them when the customers complain that they can't break bills. Then they have to run to the bank, increasing robbery and injury risk, just to get enough change to keep working. It's a no win scenario.

HOWEVER that only applies when you're talking about people giving a $100 for a $6 item or something similar. I don't give a flying fuck and two squirrel nuts if you want cash in your till or not, if you can't give $20 change then you have no right to have your doors open. Period. Not at current prices for goods and services. What's more, that sure as hell doesn't apply to a FEDERAL service. Now I'm sorry, but EVERY bill in circulation has 'Legal US Tender' written on it, and you're providing a tax funded service...that means you don't get a vote even if someone pays a $1 charge with a $1000 bill. Not saying that's the 'legal stance', but it's definitely the only rational one.

Finally, as a government employee you sure as shit don't get to tell a citizen that they are somehow defective for not participating in the ruination of the world through the unconscionable consumerist hysteria which is plastic (be it credit or debit). Sorry you ignorant son of a bitch, but I'm one of the few human beings on the planet NOT fucking everything up for everyone else so you can kindly take your worthless, selfish opinion and shove it up your ass. While you're at it, you can stop collecting a government paycheck and benefits because I sure as hell am not going to subsidize your attitude.

I'm home now, and staying home until after the new year. Honestly I'm not sure I want to come out even then. Wizard's first rule is just too real to deal with any more.

Ridiculous ... you pull out $50s and you do not use plastic/banks?

Thanks for the rant/rage. You should have bought a plane ticket and delivered your package in-person.


It would have saved us from this garbage ...

 

[PrinceofWands]

I read through the op a couple of times along with the responses and I'm still not quite sure if this is either an epic troll or someone with serious issues. And no I'm not saying he has mental issues since he seems to be fairly well balanced. But come on op, you really did escalate way too fast which opened you up to some serious risk. I've had plenty of people yell at me in various situations (a couple of times long ago when I worked retail) and I can't recall ever having to yell back. Granted being a large guy with a pretty powerful voice helps but I have found in 99.99% of these situations that it's always better to stay calm. That way should it further escalate you're operating using your head and not letting emotions rule you.

I also can't quite wrap my head around the idea that you had your holster on you even when it was not holding your firearm when you went into the post office. You seem to be a man that plans these things out well in advance, obviously you have to at least for your bills since you do not have a bank account. And I can't comprehend how you could not have seen what kind of reaction it might have provoked in that enviroment should it be exposed even without a firearm in it. For all the other folks knew it was one of potentially multiple holsters any one of which may have held a firearm. I have nothing against firearms at all. I have several friends that have firearms and a couple have concealed carry permits so for them the holster is almost like another piece of apparel that you unconciously put on. I hope that this was the case and you weren't trying to convey any messages to anybody that you happened to encounter inside the post office or elsewhere in your travels.

I really think the op needs to dial down his confrontational attitude a bit. It'll save him a lot of headaches and misunderstandings.

The holster was still there because it's a monumental pain in the ass to remove my belt and holster in the car. I just remove the gun and put it in the lockbox. It also makes it quicker and easier to rearm after returning from wherever I am that doesn't allow carry. That leaves an empty holster. I keep the wrap on so as to avoid riling the natives whenever possible.

 

[PrinceofWands]

The only problem is YOUR ACTIONS MADE THIS A POSSIBLE COMBAT SITUATION!!!

No, the worker's actions made this a possible combat situation. I handled it correctly UNTIL he escalated it to borderline combat. The instigator is 100% responsible for everything that comes after in any given situation.

Get it through your head!

- You're paranoid delusional.

No, I'm not, and I have multiple professional evaluations certifying to the fact. You are not a professional in the field and have not evaluated me. You're an ignorant, worthless internet troll with no idea what you're talking about.

- You were in a post office.
- You were among peers (whether you think so or not).
- You were dealing with an employee, and more so a human being.
- There was a fucking barrier between you and the employee.

None of which prevents a split second escalation to combat.

Whether the clerk raised his voice or not (which at this point I seriously doubt it was significant enough to be considered "yelling"), YOUR actions made it a potential combative situation. There is no gray area here. It's not like you were in some sort of dark back alley at midnight surrounded by gang members. You were in a public place surrounded by witnesses. This situation would never have escalated to violence in the first place.

You're obviously not the type of person to give anyone the benefit of the doubt, but you seriously need to get your head checked and for the love of god have your carry permit revoked. You are unstable, delusional and obviously paranoid. I can't stress this enough. YOU are going to get someone killed. More than likely someone innocent, and/or quite possibly yourself.

You are utterly, completely, 100% wrong in everything you say. You are ignorant, and out of your depth entirely. You're welcome to have an opinion, but it's a baseless and useless one with no bearing on reality. Crimes happen everywhere, including public places surrounded by witnesses. A person is either prepared to deal with that, or they are a victim waiting to happen.

 

[alent1234]

somehow i manage to get through my day without getting shot or needing to carry a gun

 

[PrinceofWands]

You've had a "number of evaluations" and nothing is amiss? Not likely. You write like you need to be medicated.

And you received your degree and psychology practice license from...?

So sorry that the facts of psychology and mental health don't conform with your opinion. I would suggest taking some classes and learning the difference between an opinion and a diagnosis.