Carrying a weapon on your person or in your vehicle
requires that you make a decision or two. It seems fine to have
an appreciation for handguns and a commitment to protecting your
family and yourself, but the issue seems to require A LOT more
thought than this initial knee-jerk reaction to crime would
suggest.
Having grown up around firearms of various types here in Florida,
I always assumed that I would be prepared to handle them
responsibly in any given situation. This proved not to be the
case one afternoon. Or maybe I did act responsibly and am only
shaken by the possible endings to that days events.
While driving in traffic near work, I noticed a man speeding
through traffic with his family and attempting to cut off another
vehicle driven by a woman and a small child. When his attempt
failed he leaped from his own car at the next light and began to
beat on the car of the woman and her child. I noticed how
frightened she looked and how upset the child was becoming, and I
grew hot with rage. I leaned out of my window and speaking as
calmly as I could told the "gentleman" to return to his
vehicle. His response was a malevolent look, and loud "shut
up", and more pounding on the woman's car. I once again
repeated my request that he "get the fuck back into your
Car" and almost unconsciously began reaching for a Combat
style .45 I kept in the glove box. He began to step towards me...
stopped.. and returned to harassing the Woman and her Child. ONCE
AGAIN.... I repeated.. "Get your ass back into your car
now".
I remember thinking about what a mess this had become. While I
felt compelled to intervene on the Lady's behalf, I do not think
that I had intended to meet this lunatic on an "all or
nothing" basis. But I am afraid that I was angry enough at
that time to shoot this guy had he next attacked me. As he came
closer to my car, I was wondering where I was going to be
spending the night, and should he end up dead, the rest of my
life.
About ten feet from my car he suddenly stopped.... looked me over
once more... turned around and headed back to his own car. As he
passed the woman's car he slipped a business card under her
windshield, said "here.. you will need this".. and
returned to his own car. I went up to her car and looked at the
card. He was a Cemetery plot salesman. Little did he know how
close he may have been to needing his own services.
I learned the difference between the thought and the action. I
learned to be more tolerant of other drivers while behind the
wheel. I learned that if you are going to be a jerk in traffic
you NEVER want to leave your business card behind. You will be
showing up at many vacant lots for sales calls. You will spend
lots of time talking to people on the phone who never plan to
die, and you will also be the recipient of numerous anchovy
pizzas.
Copyright © 1996, SkyWolf Productions