[Stuckinda60s]

Our preacher, from the pulpit on a Sunday morning. "I know there are a couple of guys in here who are carrying. I've gotta tell you, that's comforting."

Foxwolf: I found myself in a lot of situations before I was married. There were a couple of times when, if I'd been carrying, I would have pulled it out. The situations worked out, but they still happened and might not have. I've been threatened with rocks, guns, knives and clubs. Several times I was walking down the street and got in a situation, with a stranger, out of a clear blue sky. The guys were drunk or just plain nuts. I never been confrontational and didn't initiate the problem. Some times they got physical and some times I managed to talk my way out of it. Once I even had a gun pulled on me in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, of all places. That one got physical, and I'm still here. I could handle myself, pretty well, and never considered carrying.

When I got married, and knowing where I traveled and my history, I decided to get a permit. If you're a responsible person, your thinking changes. I now had my wife, and later my daughter, to think about.

I've since had a permit for 35-years, and carry most of the time. I don't drink or go to bars, so that's not a problem, although it's legal to carry in a bar in PA. As Sixgunsblazing stated, concealed carry means concealed. If you pull it out or have it in the open, it can be considered brandishing. I'm very, very, careful to keep it concealed. That also means in the car.

As a side note, I haven't had any problems since before I was married. I have had peace of mind when I've been in questionable areas, though. At the very least, that makes it worth it.