Since I retired from the Corps in Sep 1989 I never needed to even consider using my EDC until two days before Thanksgiving 2016. That was a day I thought I might actually have to shoot someone. Turns out I did not have too. He got lucky.

I went to a local shopping center to check out sales at Target. As I approached the front entrance I saw two men standing in front is a woman and little girl. From the head scarves they were wearing and darker complexion I assumed they were Muslims. The men were screaming insults and curses at the two females. I won't ever attempt to disguise the language here. It was just vulgar as can be ans laced with calling the two terrorist bitches.

The little girl was crying loud and clinging to her mom's legs. The woman was ready eyes and pleading to allied to pass. The two dimwits had her back up against a wall and were standing about five feet away from her.

I did what any self respecting Marine would do. I got in front of the two females and asked the two men to cool it. Of course that got me a special dose of invectives and threats. After why was I standing up for "their kind" was followed by a demand I move aside, I just said I was not moving but they ought to do so, so no one got hurt. Well that produced a whole new diatribe of threats, but it got serious when one guy pulled out an unopened folding knife and suggested he would give me a tonsillectomy if I did not move.

Well that did it. I asked the woman behind me if she heard that, and she said yes. With that I drew my Lc9s into the close quarter combat position (Center Axis Relock method) and said: If you think you can open that knife and cut me before I can shoot you or that you can take my gun away, sayn:a short prayer before you do it because it will be your last contact with god.

About then the sound of sirens could be heard approaching the shopping center. Seems that a bystander was witness to it all and had called 911. Where I live we have no local police so the PA state police respond to 911 calls. The two goons decide it was time to leave, get into a pick up truck, and take off. About a minute later the first state trooper arrives followed by four more in a couple of minutes.

Seeing that I am armed, they take control of the weapon, and begin sizing up what happened. The witness was the first to be questioned, and within two minutes they have a BOLO on the police radio. They take brief statements from all but the child as two cars go off to see if they can spot the bad guys truck on the road.

Afte maybe ten minutes they return my gun to me and suggest that I could have been killed, and it might have been better to just call the police. Then he saw the pin I always wear on my shirt. It is a US flag crossed with a Marine Corps flag. He asked if I was in combat, and I said yes, four tours in NAM. He said so cyou would have actually shot him? I replied, If he had opened that knife his dead body would now be laying on the sidewalk.

Nothing came of it. The Troopers were professional and courteous. They never apprehended the two goons. They explained to us that we would be called by a detective to come in and give statements, which happened the day after Thanksgiving. They wished all a good holiday and left.

The woman's husband arrived as they were leaving. We met, and he thanked me. We exchanged contact info, and he asked me what my family and I were doing for Thanksgiving. I explained my wife had died in June and the kids had families of their own on CAnwher they grew up during my 30 year carreer. We parted with a warm goodbye.

That night the fellow calls me and invites me to Thankgiving dinner at their house. I accepted. It was just like any Americans Thankgiving dinner except the complimented the Turkey with a Morocann stuffing andmside dishes. No wine, because they do not drink alcoholic beverages. It was a feast of really fine food.

So I made new friends. Since then I have met some of their Muslim friends at social gatherings. They have all been lovely people who I really like. Except I gotta figure out how to get a beer there .... just kidding.

I was a bit disappointed by one thing. I had hoped the two creeps would see me some day and stop memsomI might get to finish the matter. No such luck.