the ' look '

H

h518may

New member
hey guys. something happened to me this morning that has happened several times over my forty years, and sadly will probably happen again. has this happened to you? I was at the gas station before coming to work and, along with several other items, picked up a gun magazine and took it to the counter to pay. the clerk gave me what i call " the look ". that look on their face that says, " oh you're one of THEM " . The look that says because you're buying a gun magazine you're automatically a fanatical, anti american baby killing stand in the street and fire at passing cars scumbag. Or, they give you the look like because i am purchasing a gun magazine i'm going to pull my nine and ask for them to empty the cash register. Anyone else experience this before?
 
Could be that you are paranoid. In your position, I'd probably not spend a heap of time wondering or worrying about what some gas station clerk might be thinking, especially when there were no words exchanged.

Could be that the clerk doesn't like your hat or your nose or your smell or maybe the clerk REALLY likes everything about you (magazine included!) but has some odd personality disorder.

Either way... Lots of assumptions without much to back them and I can't really see how it affects much. You weren't denied on the purchase or spat on at the counter?
 
Been there, and I have to agree with jhenry, I just don't care. It's the same look I get when some one notices me carrying. It's funny, people were more friendly towards me when I was buying penthouse and hustler underage as a kid. I've since grown beyond such publications, but it makes one wonder where the priorities lie in our society. I don't get looks when I buy a quarter horse magazine...
 
I know what you mean. I get the same look when I buy condoms, flex cuff, and duct tape at the same time. ;):D

Seriously, I live in New Hampshire and it's a pretty gun friendly state. No looks when I buy gun mags, which I seldom do.
 
I haven't spent a great deal of my 55 years worrying about what other people think about me, and I'm not about to start.
 
The "look" may have been related to amazement over the fact that someone would waste the money on a list price magazine when they could subscribe to the same magazine and get it at the 1960's price.
 
I've purchased 3 magazines at once to read while sitting by the pool; and the counter girls/guys could care less. I wouldn't care if they did.
 
You don't live in the Texas do you? Here you may get "the look" for just about anything. Don't worry about it. I did have to tell the clerk one time to give me my magazine so I could go and if he wanted to thumb through it he could get one off the shelf. Most people here, if they respond at all, may start small talk about the magazine or the gun on the cover. I've got one of those or I like that or something like that. Also remember that a lot of people get their ideas about gun enthusiasts from the mainstream media and its usually not a good image.
 
I tell you what I have had happen, that's more problems based on assumptions of what a look, not look, pause in a sentence, stayed too long, didn't stay long enough, said yes sounded like no, said no sounded like yes....

Stop assuming. People make wrong assumptions based on nonverbals (even verbals) of people they've known for 50 years. What you think might/coulda/maybe been in the glance of a gas station attendant is BEYOND meaningless.
 
I went to my bank and asked them if they could waive the fee for cashiers check.

So at first I was referred to a personal banker but it requires manager approval.

She said "What are you going to do with the cashiers check?"

Expecting "the look" I sheepishly said "Well actually, I'm going to buy a gun". I got the look from the personal banker but not the manager. The manager told me that she had gone shooting last week with her brothers and asked me what kind of gun I was going to buy. So I told her I was buying a Glock, and it turns out that the previous week she had been shooting a Glock. :)
 
good replies, guys. I have also, i have to say, gotten positive responses before, such as fellow shooters and the like. as for the negative looks/responses, well i dont really care, i just find it amusing!!
 
People in the service industry love to give that look. it's the only way that they can safely extract revenge upon the public that makes their job and lives unpleasant. doesn't matter who you are, what you buy, or even whether or not the person expressing that scorn is a better person than you are; a "businessman" from the local area gave me "the look" at a meeting and he is now on trial on a 6 million dollar tax evasion charge.

picture this scenario. I'm a dropout who got a ged. I'm drug free, most of the time, and drink every night. I have hit most of my girlfriends and my only soon to be ex wife. I steal food off of the shelves at night, and once in a while, shortchange my cash customers if they look really stupid. I want to go take a leak, and in you walk and you fool around making yourself a cup of coffee. When you finally drag your worthless butt to the cash register, you ask for a penthouse.

What am I, a model citizen going to do? I'm going to get my ounce of flesh. I'm going to give you the most pecker withering glare I'm capable of, and follow it with a snarky "have a real nice evening, now, ya hear? Enjoy yourself." Then, I'm going to pat myself on the back for having ruined your night, and fantasize that you're going to go home and either cry or commit suicide.

Inadequate people like to hurt other people. Any way to do it is just hunky dory, and if they have a reason to dislike you (you have guns) they will work out some way to make you unhappy (like shortchanging you a nickel, or telling you that your tshirt sucks).

God help you if you go in looking uncomfortable. Like blood on the water.
 
I decided yesterday to take my kids to Starbucks for the buycott, and give them two dollar bills to pay for their stuff.

I think they'll have fun, and I am pretty sure someone is going to give me "the look" when my girls announce that they are supporting the Second Amendment and all that - or something like that. Who knows what they'll say, my middle daughter is a blabber mouth, she never stops talking.
 
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