Jim:
I was going home this evening at 5 pm right before dark and I was going fast. Right before Chappelhill on 290 a Hypo (Texas Dept of Public Safety Officer) pulled me over. I always have a smile on my face and act courteous with the cops. He came to my passenger window and asked for my license and insurance and said “your were going 77 in a 70” I gave him my handgun license and drivers license and said wow the wind was pushing me then, and then I truthfully told him that I had been on the road since 6am and went to Temple Texas to Scott and White as my mother in law had a part of her lung removed and we sat in the waiting room most of the day and she came out of surgery fine and I’m on the back to Houston.
Then he asked “where is your handgun” I said on the back seat, I drive Jeep Grand Cherokee, he said “your tint on the back window is real dark, can I “he” move it to the very back behind the rear seat in the cargo area, I said yes, he said he was going to open the rear door (remember he is on the passenger side) he opens the door and picks it up and sets in the far rear area then looks on the floor board and starring at him is my AK-47, he smiles and said I will have to set that back there too. So he does. He had a big smile and said you know I can’t let you sit in here with a .45 and a AK while I run your registration because your tint is too dark, he said I have to ask you to stand outside your vehicle! I said “Okay no problem.” He came back and gave me a warning! No ticket. I said to him “that’s great and I even had a AK!” I talk too much. And said to him, I never go out of town now without it now days because the world might break when I’m on the road, and I laugh and say I listen too much to Glenn Beck! The DPS officer said “I don’t blame you at all, in fact I want you to help me if it happens! I want you on my side! You will be on my side right? I replied: “Yes, I’m a good guy”! I became flushed upon hearing this from the young officer! We shook hands and I left feeling good! Sometimes respect is mutual. I hope one day I can by him lunch at the least! – Word in Texas
JWR Replies: This dovetails nicely with my recent comments about the prevailing attitudes about gun ownership. If you don’t live in a gun friendly region, then move.