April 1994	Women & Guns 

Dear Self-Reliant Reader,

	Each month when I write to you, I hope to support you in your
decision to be a self-reliant person.

	While reading our local paper, I came across an article in the
"Briefly" column that contains assorted local news.  The headline was
"Man flees armed storekeeper."

	Around 3:30 p.m. on New Year's Eve of last year, a man entered
a store located in a busy shopping center about a mile from my home.
The store that sells party supplies had about 15 employees and
customers present. The man who was showing the barrel of a handgun
through his vest, approached a clerk at the service counter and
demanded she empty the cash register. The manager became aware that
something was wrong and approached the counter.  The man demanded that
the manager empty the second cash register.  As the man came closer
the manager drew a handgun. The robber then asked, "Do you want to
die?" The manager responded in kind and suggested that he leave the
store immediately.  He left.

	I was appalled that this would occur right next store to the
grocery store where I shop.  That it would occur in the middle of the
afternoon.  But I was also applauding the fortitude of the manager who
was the victim/hero of the armed robbery.  (It was the only one in
1993 in Bellevue, Washington.)

	I recently received a letter from Carrie, the manager of
Partytime, the manager in the above story.  She expressed the concept
of self-reliance so well that I am reprinting it here.

Dear Women and Guns,

	I recently purchased the October issue of your magazine and
read it cover to cover.  I really enjoyed the story about Cindy Epley.
The woman who 'didn't want somebody to die just so somebody could go
out and blow money on a Saturday night.' The woman who was tired of
being robbed so she pulled out her .38 special shooting the robbers so
as to end her nightmare.

	I remember reading about her, I couldn't help but ask myself
what I would do if I was in her position.  I am in the retail business
with New Year's Eve being one of the busiest times of the year. It's
my family's business and for 13 years I've been part of the blood
sweat and tears that go into a family-owned and operated business.

	It was only four months ago that I began to carry a concealed
gun. My husband had been carrying one for about eight months when he
encouraged me to learn about them. At first, I wouldn't even touch the
gun without my hands getting clammy and my heart rate rapidly
increasing. But, after a lot of practice and handling the gun, I began
to slowly get used to the feeling of having such a powerful object in
my hands and the obvious potential for destruction at the pull of the
trigger. Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those wimpy housewives who
jumps at the sound of howling wind or a creaky door.  I would say that
I am pretty good at keeping my composure under stressful situations.
So I went to the range and grew more self assured with every round
that I fired. I then began to carry my 9mm Glock with hollow points
with me everywhere I went.  My mother and my sister were worried for
me with the same worry I felt for my husband before I became
comfortable with a gun.

	Carrie enclosed a copy of the same news story I had read and
continued.

	Much to my surprise I was greeted by three women Bellevue City
Police Officers after the robbery.  Not your usual sight. But, it made
me feel good to know that these women were there ready to pickup where
I left off.

	So many people asked me why I didn't just kill him.  The
question many readers are probably asking about now.  My answer; I did
not have a clear shot for one thing, I realized this and gave him a
warning from my position. A warning he immediately took. It's a
Catch-22. If I would've shot the robber, the majority of non-gun
owners would have said, "She panicked and opened fire." Then, when I
didn't shoot him, the majority of non-gunowners would say, "She was
afraid, she couldn't pull the trigger." Somehow, I think if I were a
male in the same situation, they wouldn't put me on a pedestal either
way. I feel as does my husband, that given the situation, I did the
right thing. It should be noted that if the robber had been standing
two feet to the left, the outcome would have been different.

	I would like to thank the Bellevue Police Department for their
rapid response time as well as their continued efforts in this case.

	I would also like to thank my family and especially my husband
for all of their love and support during this ordeal. I will continue
to carry my handgun and strive to attain reasonable handgun
legislation through helping to make other people are aware that
handguns don't always mean something negative. They can sometimes mean
that the good gal prevails. Today, I'm thankful to have been able to
take control away from the armed robber and defuse the situation
before it was given a chance to escalate into something far worse. I
was able to protect the customers, co-workers and myself. If I had to
do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing."

	Carrie is a self-reliant reader.



P.S.  Latest word is that the armed robber was picked from a line up
by Carrie.  It seems that he continued his spree in Kirkland, Redmond
and Seattle and it appears that it was drug related. The outcome is
still to be determined. But this man is off the streets.  P.P.S. No, I
didn't forget you guys! Miss Splendiferous, Miss Spectacular and Mr.
Stupendous. Howard_Happy 15th from Judy!