I stopped last night at a gas station in a nice section of town near my house. I don't like my commute and don't want to extend it by stopping for gas so I usually fill up on Sunday. It turned out to be ten minutes that made me think about having to get ready to shoot someone.
The automatic card reader on the pump wasn't working so I went in to pay with my card. When I walked in I saw one employee behind the counter and two customers who obviously knew each other as one was being playfully loud with the other. I approached the counter as the other two were preparing to leave as the man behind the counter told one of the two to stop and to take something out his pocket.
It went on from there with threats about calling the police as the man behind the counter approached the two near the door and the two came back inside. After an additional coworker emerged from the back pinning them inside between the two coworkers the talkative one pulled something (bag of snack food it seemed) from his pocket and returned it and started to walk out. At this point they were blocked and told to wait while the police were called - the talkative one then started to get very upset and closed in on the worker whow as initially behind the counter. His friend though seemed to be in a "Oh Lord - why did you do this for eighty0five cents of food" mood but unwilling to not back up his friend.
Watching this thing develop initially I only wanted to pay but as it grew in intensity I realized this might turn ugly fast with two agaisnt two and if one went to call the police they might try to overwhelm the lone worker by the door. I then decided to back away more while making it easier to access my concealed firearm and trying to still look more upset at the delay than anything else.
My mind was spinning but I was resolved to protect this store owner who was only protecting his livelyhood from someone who thought so little of him and his family he was willing to harm him over snack food. If I needed to I got a good angle should the man behind the counter crumple I had line to the smaller talkative person and his taller friend. An eerie calm came over me as soon as I comitted myself to my future actions.
After about two minutes of exchanging words and posturing it was eventually settled without harm to anyone thank God but it was the first time since I started carrying that I was in a situation that might have caused me to use it.
I guess I now know I have it in me to actually kill someone although after the fact I don't know how I would feel as I was a little shaky for just being in that position. I told the man behind the counter that if things got ugly I would have helped and he thanked my profusely and said he would welcome me in the store whenever he saw me. That made me feel good at least.
Looking for any comments honestly. Anyone been in a similar situation where you might have had or did have to use deadly force to defend another?