WTF?

[pecunium]

Recently, at work, something odd happened.

Guy came in, and started to ask me questions about knives. So far all is normal. Selling knives is a lot of what I do. We talk about this and that, and he starts being discoursive. He then asks me one of those questions I've had, now and again, though not here; at SLT.

"What do you think of women using knives?"


"I don't have any problem with it."

He went on, saying from things he'd seen them doing in the kitchen it gave him the willies. I said he ought to see the things I see men doing with knives. Then I tried to point out that it was more a matter of preconceptions than anything else. I told him I'd been in the army for 167 years, and I taught firearms handling, as well as knife skills. This was to lead into telling him that I far prefer to have female students (in firearms) than I do male ones (in knives it doesn't have the same gender skew, though there are traits I think I see more in women than in men. There are other traits I think I see in men more. some good, some bad, in both sexes).

That did, so I thoght, derail the conversation, but it was being a bit strange, and I wanted to done with it. He started asking me questions about guns, and I started actually moving him out of the store. On the way he started asking me about my thoughts on "open carry". My thoughts on the carryng of firearms are pretty simple. Most people shouldn't do it because they don't think it through carefully enough (for more detailed ideas of my thinking you can read the post/comments in places like Making Light (where the subject has come up, more than once).

I tried to say this, gently, but I was starting to get an odd vibe. I actually started pushing him out of the store (my boss actually noticed this). At the door he kept going, and then it happened, he explained why he was looking into things like "open carry" (which right he didn't know we had in Calif. never mind that as configured it's a mess... asking for trouble and conferring no real benefit to anyone who isn't willing to spend lots of time getting a number of drills down to pure muscle memory. Even if that's done the requirements still make you much more target than anything else... all of which I mentioned to him).

It's because of the political situation now, and the "trouble we have coming with the blacks and the browns".

I was croggled. He'd just given me what can only be described as the tea-bagger's secret handshake. I wasn't certain until he added, "You know I used to be a liberal."

The next say, he was back. Asked if I had a card, and then (when I said I didn't really. Which was true, in context. I don't have a card for my work, and I had no intent of sharing my personal one with him). That, it seemed was ok. He had one to give me, with a slightly conspiratorial leaning in as he said, "I might have some work for you."

Comments

[slave2tehtink.livejournal.com]

OK, that was creeptastic. I really, really hate when someone assumes that because you look like them, you share their [bigoted|paranoid|bigoted and paranoid] views. Seriously.

Although do keep us posted if he tries to get you to train his militia!

[warclaw.livejournal.com]

One possibility...though I don't think it likely, is that the nutter is neither nuts nor a Tea-Bagger type. It wouldn't be the first time the government sent out "Agents provocateur" out into the populace, either to smoke out the real whack-jobs, or to solicit illegalities in order to have an excuse to crack down on a group or individual.

A really paranoid type might even say that Pecunium was being targeted because of his rather vocal stance on government sponsored torture and his complaints re: the VA education funding.

Like I said, I don't consider this possibility likely, but it is remotely there.

[dichroic.livejournal.com]

Do you have any anti-torture speeches coming up? Handing him a flyer for one of those might make him go away very quickly.

[cpolk.livejournal.com]

HOLY CRAPDOODLES

you won the whacko lottery!

I'm hoping this post will not serendipitously become HANDY EVIDENCE. wow.

[bedii.livejournal.com]

The only suggestion I can give is that if he comes back, be very, very boring. I've done that a time or two with the creepily obsessed with some success, mainly because I was in situations where I couldn't play the "I'm much crazier than you are" card.

[eyelessgame.livejournal.com]

with a slightly conspiratorial leaning in as he said, "I might have some work for you."

You do have to recognize the possibility that what he wants you to do is help him move out of his parents' basement -- you being the fortieth person he's asked, and someday he might actually go ahead and do it.

Granted that's not a whole lot less creepy than the other possibilities, but the ratio of wannabes (*) to actual creeps is ... not low. Talk is cheap.

(*) depending on one's POV, "wannabes" could also refer to "potential creeps".

[sylphslider.livejournal.com]

Check out today's Doonesbury.

[sharon-masters.livejournal.com]

I am not reading all 101 comments:)
Just thought i would say that the new Owner in my life is going over to Stan to train the locals, and so i keep an eye on things lately much more closely- and the brain pans of most frightened conservatives are starting to make me think it's safer over THERE than over here.
These folks aren't Americans- they are selfish greedy little minds with no education and less intellect. They don't want the USA based on our constitution, but on their own skewed version of what's fair for THEM at the expense of everyone else.
Your blog- hell, life- always fascinates me. Wish i had more time to read more often.

WTF?

[the-ogre.livejournal.com]

That is more than slightly insane.

[minimo.livejournal.com]

I think you ought to tell the manager about the situation and have him call you to the stockroom to do something urgent if the customer comes in again.