(No, this isn't a gun rant. I have no desire to have anyone's guns taken away. Just don't want to get shot by 'em, that's all.)
Thursday was my turn to go out on the streets with the homeless. For the most part, the vibe was pretty mellow & our customers enjoyed the shepherds' pie and coffee. But something happened that was a wake-up call for me personally.
A patrolwoman drove by in her police cruiser, on the lookout for a specific person who was armed. The patrolwoman gave us a description, and one of my co-workers did remember seeing the person in question. I, however, didn't. That's what bothered me. I had dropped my guard. My vigilance was lacking.
When we're working, part of my duty is to keep a safety watch out for trouble. I want to protect my co-workers in case a fight or other nonsense crops up. If shots were to ring out one day when we're working, we have a few "moving parts" and a few people to gather up before we could drive our lumbering canteen vehicle away from the site. "Duck and cover" may not be enough to protect my co-workers. Leaving just before things get violent is our usual plan for worker safety.
I'm a bit naive, but I do realize people in this state have concealed carry licenses. And, there are others who are doing the act without being registered. However, lately when I'm serving I haven't been as alert for stuff like that. I haven't given as much thought to escape routes or sharing info if trouble suddenly popped up or shots suddenly rang out. I have to do a better job of thinking these things through.
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