{"id":6324,"date":"2025-07-11T01:28:44","date_gmt":"2025-07-11T01:28:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bigcountryexpat.com\/?p=6324"},"modified":"2025-07-11T02:59:23","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T02:59:23","slug":"an-encounter-at-ye-olde-booze-store-and-what-an-odd-thing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bigcountryexpat.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/11\/an-encounter-at-ye-olde-booze-store-and-what-an-odd-thing\/","title":{"rendered":"An Encounter at Ye Olde Booze Store and What an Odd Thing…"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Greetings and Salutations!
So an interesting thing happened.
Somewhat hairy to be perfectly frank.
I had to go to the local liquor store. It’s a small place up the street and in this case, it wasn’t for booze per se but for a dish I was cooking up that needed dry sherry (a nice roast BTW). Publix has sherry, but all they have are those BIG ole jugs and that’s WAAAY too much for what I needed. I went to the smol likker store as Bobby, the guy who owns it has smaller-ish bottles of stuff like that on hand. I also know Bobby and have pulled store security during some of the BLM\/Hurricane stuff in exchange for goods so to speak…

I walked in, and at the counter were three urban Yoofs.

And OMG Cental Casting called, asking where the extras for their latest gangbanger movie were? Not kidding\/wish I was… Dreds, grilled up teeth, sagging pants and no doubt packing guns with giggle switches… the guy behind the counter was trying to explain to the obviously getting agitated Yoofs that their card(s) (yes, MULTIPLE cards) had all been declined.

They had what looked like almost 3 or 4 cases<\/strong> of top end<\/strong> booze on the counter… like the literal top shelf stuff that Bobby literally keeps on the top shelf… they reeked of weed, and maaan…. I realized since this was a quick stop, and it’s almost impossible to bicycle while carrying, I had left my gat at home like a fucking dumbass.

Never. Fucking. Again.<\/strong>

It was starting to get that ‘pre-combat’ vibe and dude behind the counter was calling -someone- trying to get ANYONE who could do SOMETHING while the now-getting pissed off Yoofs who were starting to mutter angrily and sheeee-it.

Me?

I started maneuvering find cover when another guy walked in and OMG thanks be to Crom or -insert Deity of Choice here- as he was a BIG black dude who was with Allied armed<\/strong> security.

He had his Glock on his duty belt, which they saw, and this instantly<\/strong> changed the dynamic. Gun guy then positioned himself juuuust<\/em> out of their reach, nodded at da Yoofs and stood off just -watching- them… their attitude suddenly flipped and got mellow just as quickly.<\/strong>

The counter-guy apologized again<\/strong> (as the first three or four times didn’t placate these dead-eyed fucks) and said there was nothing more he could do. Instead of things going pear shaped like it had looked like it was heading, they glared at counter-guy, looked at me, then the Guy-With-A-Gun and as a group stalked out of the store.

All three of us breathed a MAD sigh of relief.
Like literally<\/strong> a BIG loud sigh from all three of us…

The black guy was like “Man, I had good timing apparently!” I was all like, “Brother, you showed up like the Cav, right in the nick of time!” The counter-guy was like all “Maaaan they’d been declined on three or four cards multiple times and shit was about to get ugly when you two walked in!” I looked at the black guy and said “Maaaan no offense but holy shit that was looking pretty fucking bad for a minute…talk about “Da Boys in Da Hood!”

He was like “Man, niggers like that are why we have a nigger problem, not a Black problem.” I fist bumped him and told him I dug his POV and he was pretty based for a Black guy… he appreciated it. As far as my own stupid lack of carry? Needless to say, Quoth the Raven “Nevermore!” Lesson learned on the cheap.<\/strong>

This time.<\/strong>

I need to find something that’ll let me carry while bicycling… and I need either a more concealable weapon, as my smallest frame is that Smith 669 which I’d rather<\/em> not carry as in IF I ever found myself needing it, I’d probably never<\/strong> get it back and they’re getting harder and harder to find them in like-new condition that she who must not be named found mine in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I do have that itty-bitty Bond Derringer in .357 but it’s only two shots, and is the ‘last ditch’ car weapon, meaning that’s for emergency road rage use IF I ever have a ‘tard come at me while driving (it’s happened in the past unfortunately).

Money is too tight r\/n to get anything new-ish.

And my preferred carry is my 1911, which is waaay to big to CC while on my bike. Le Sigh… decisions decisions… I will say I DID get a good bit of intel from the Gun Guy at the store.

He’s a guard for Allied but works at the new Coca Cola distribution center here in Tampa. The place is HUUUUGE and I’ve wanted and tried for years to get on with ‘Coke’ so to speak. Supposedly the company is a fantastic place to work… great bennies etc… hard as Hell to get onboard unless you have an ‘in’

It’s only a wee bit up the road, and the guy told me that the way to go about getting on with them is to apply online, and then<\/strong> show up and ask to speak to the HR folks upfront face-to-face and he told me that 80-90% of people get hired this way… that this’s the secret ‘cheat code’ to getting in the door with them.

So I’m applying tonight and I’m thinking about hitting them tomorrow… there’s a VP Slot open that I’m actually a great fit for, and I’ll take any <\/strong>offer on the table as no matter what, it’ll be two to three times my current rate at People’s Glorious Tractor Factory IF I get the gig…

I mean I did<\/strong> just get a fresh haircut and got the beard and eyebrows trimmed up… throw me in a suit and I clean up pretty damned well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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