An old man's comfort

[vito]

When I was a kid growing up in Brooklyn, NY in the late '40's to mid '50's, I was a pretty scrappy kid. Although small, I gave as good as I took and never really had a problem with bullies because they knew they would pay a price for starting a fight with me. Later, as an adult and career soldier I always felt that I could handle myself pretty well physically, and never overly worried about what would happen if I had to get into a physical altercation with someone. But as I aged, the ability to handle myself deteriorated pretty rapidly. Two fake knees, five coronary bypasses, both shoulders with torn rotater cuffs, missing one kidney and part of one lung, and putting on more than a few extra pounds over my military days has taken its toll. But I do carry a gun. I'm fully aware of the truckload of crap that would be dumped on me if I ever had to use my gun to defend myself or my family, no matter how legitimately, and I certainly do not ever get confrontational (I think having a concealed gun makes me even MORE likely to do whatever I can do to avoid a fight). But at my age and condition I will not get into a street fight ever again. Any such fight could well be life threatening to me, and I do not intend taking that chance. Having that gun gives me a real sense of comfort that I have yet to rely on. But it makes the old adage of Samuel Colt very real for me of "the great equalizer".

 

[Doc Holliday]

Still, having a gun doesn't mean a thing if someone 'gets the drop on you'...I know, it happened to me and I ended up looking down the barrel of a loaded .40 with the safety off and his finger on the trigger, pointed directly at my head. He had approached my vehicle from my 0700-0800 position, out of mirror and side window coverage. At that point, there's no 'going for your gun', it's not the movies, it's real life and I wasn't willing to gamble whether or not I was faster than his trigger finger. Only staying calm and talking my way out of it saved me. Had I been more aware of my surroundings it would have never happened, and it was a hard lesson for me.

Stay safe out there.

 

[hdonlybob]

Very well put vito
Cheers,'
HD

 

[bogus bill]

It`s hard to accept and adjust to that aspect of old age. I am 77, fat and out of shape. My wife is 17 years younger and big too. A couple months ago we both were given the word we are kissing diabetes. We instantly changed our diet and started walking. We both have lost about 30 pounds and now she out walks me. Even though we each lost about 30 pounds I suppose we still each need to lose another 70 or 80! I was kind of the opposite of Vito. I was a big overgrown kid. So much so that the teacher in our village thought I was older and sent a invite to my mother for me to start first grade. I started first grade at a little over 4 years old! My mom ran a country general store alone as it was World War II, dad was gone and she probably did it for the baby sitting aspect. While I was as big or even bigger than all the guys all the way through school they probably were more mature and I was a target. Later as a armed guard most of my life no one gave me trouble. I never was tried out. Now I know I aint so tough but its easy to forget in the heat of a moment. If I don`t have a gun on me I at least have one in my vehicle. I never really worry about it as I haven't had anyone give me trouble in many years.
Years ago when my dad was retired the folks drove out to see me. I had to work so him and my mom drove to my church`s prayer meeting. Sounded like dad screwed up in traffic. A hot night and the windows were down. Some hot head pulled alongside and swore at dad vilely. That wasn't good enough, he got ahead of dad and blocked him at the next stop light, got out and walked back swearing at dad but got a surprise. Mom told me the story the next morning. Dad looked like a old white haired man in the truck. Dad was 6ft 5"s, about 220 lbs and not a ounce fat. He grabbed the guy by the shirt front, lifted him off the ground, cocked a fist back and just said "One more word and I will break your nose!" Dad always was a hard act to follow. Dad released him, the guy ran back to his car and scratched out. Dad didn't bother to even mention it to me.

 

[Jeepnik]

I think there are a lot of us here who can identify with being elderly, slow and suffering from a myriad of infirmities. It's doubtful any of us can go toe to toe with a kid half or more our age.

My last "altercation" was in a bar. Angry drunk. A swift kick to the knee ended it. As he whimpered he complained, "that wasn't fair". Apparently no one ever told the kid there's no such thing as a fair fight.

While "going to guns" is far from the desire action, it is sometimes just necessary.

 

[Mobuck]

I never was much of a fighter. The few times I did fight were violent to the extreme. It was "all in" or walk away so mostly I walked away.
As a senior citizen who carries a gun, that's the way it still is. The difference between me and the criminal is I don't/won't have any hesitation. When the BG thinks I'm intimidated by his threats, I'm going to pop his bubble. I've heard bullets pass before and now I'm a lot less concerned about being hit than I was back then.

 

[Ka6otm]

Still, having a gun doesn't mean a thing if someone 'gets the drop on you'...I know, it happened to me and I ended up looking down the barrel of a loaded .40 with the safety off and his finger on the trigger, pointed directly at my head. He had approached my vehicle from my 0700-0800 position, out of mirror and side window coverage. At that point, there's no 'going for your gun', it's not the movies, it's real life and I wasn't willing to gamble whether or not I was faster than his trigger finger. Only staying calm and talking my way out of it saved me. Had I been more aware of my surroundings it would have never happened, and it was a hard lesson for me.

Stay safe out there.

Bug eyes on your rear view mirrors, both of them, will help you with that blind spot problem. I started using them as a Teamster truck driver and continued using them right up to this day. All my vehicles have them.

 

[blume357]

Probably 30 years ago a customer told me the reason he carried a gun was because he was too old and fat to fight.... I now know what he meant......

 

[Colonialgirl]

Had an Uncle; that was half Cherokee, had been a paratrooper in WW2 and a truck driver the rest of his life; He was about 5'8" and built SOLID; He told me about the time he was driving between LA and Albuquerque, NM when some jerk forced him to pull over; said the jerk stopped in front and headed back toward his truck; Uncle Jimmy said he stepped out from the cab and said "You got a problem"? Jerk "gulps" looks at him and says in a timid voice "you were going a little fast weren't you?" Uncle Jimmy said I told him "NOPE !!" and the guy said "oh okay" and ran back to his auto and took off.
Loved my Uncle Jimmy, He was a great guy !!

 

[gasbag]

I am not old.
I am chronologically enhanced.
And boy am I comfortable.

 

[pete44ru]

.

I, on the other hand, am too short for my weight...…………… :roll:

According to the charts, at my weight I should be 9'- 8" tall...………. :mrgreen:


.

 

[Johnnu2]

THAT WAS THE BEST Pete44ru
)))))))))))))

 

[gramps]

I cannot remember or find the man's name, but a California cop would be the mugging target, while his team was close by videoing his interactions, and making arrests. That man said if an elderly person was attacked, to clutch your chest, gurgle, and fall down. Muggers don't want a death on their record. If that fails, shoot them! He carried a small Baby Browning in .25
gramps

 

[Enigma]

One thing we all need to realize is that as we become older, we become potential 'targets' to predators. If you were looking to mug/rob/assault someone, who would be your preferred target - a (relatively) healthy young(er) man, or an old(er) gray-haired guy?

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

I'm not sure what would have to happen to me for me to be considered a target, even at going on 68 YO. But I certainly understand what you guys are talking about and I strongly encourage you to consider a less than lethal source of self defense. Maybe it will be an asp, or Pepper spray, or a good cane. Then get some training on using it. Nobody with any sense want to shoot someone. SOMETIMES, you are justified (gripping) your gun, even less often displaying your gun. Hopefully we are all NRA members and read all the incidents where mere display of a firearms brings things to a halt. If you aren't a member that section alone is worth the membership.

Last year I was visiting friends in Colorado and we went to a Mexican food restaurant. They put us in a side room for dinner where there was a large family with a very intoxicated man that was very loud and swearing. It was totally uncalled for. It was extremely difficult for me to not go over there and have words and whatever else was necessary to bring it to an end. Instead we asked the waitress to seat us somewhere else. Even now I'm irritated that I didn't go over there, but in the end with us asking to be moved and another group asking the same thing, he was asked to leave. I was (legally) carrying in the restaurant, but I avoided the confrontation which is the lesser of the evils. Regardless of how bad a taste it left in my mouth.

 

[Mobuck]

"That man said if an elderly person was attacked, to clutch your chest, gurgle, and fall down. "
That would be the first step in the "heart attack draw" from an ankle holster.

 

[bogus bill]

Ya cant win here.

 

[mistermills357]

Walk away if you can, and talk tough while doing it; and if that doesn't work, there is always the forceful method; which is, shoot 'em if you have to.
That is how I see it, and I know that many people think that is a simple minded approach. But, it beats getting stabbed, or stomped half to death.
That sort of thing has become common in America, so I have built it into my equations of force. I would be stupid to not think about that.
Since you carry a gun, it gives you a fighting chance, and it is the smart thing to do.

 

[clintsfolly]

The last kid that thought he wanted to start something with fat old me changed his mind when I asked him. Is it worth dying for? With that attitude in my mind I stood my ground and got ready to hurt him bad. Glad he backed down!

 

[wolfsong]

In my profession, i don't really have the luxury of easing gracefully into "past my prime" time. In reality, this is something that I have been seriously evaluating lately. Billy Badass days are behind me. Feeble Freddy is closer to the truth. In an environment where lives are at stake there is little room for diminished capacity. My pride be damned, weakness can get folks hurt, or worse.

Whoever said that aging isn't for the timid was absolutely correct.