Chicago-store-clerk-wrestles-gun-away-shoots-two-robbery-suspects. One of the first lessons I learned as a rookie cop, taught to me by a guy from Chicago, not everybody is impressed by your gun. Sometimes the only reason you get to keep it is because your opponent lets you.

I ran up on a bunch of Job Corp students wailing away at each other with whatever was on hand. The first guy I came across, a rather large black teen had a four foot length of 2 x 4 raised up. He had it in mind to apply it upside the head of another student. It looked like a deadly weapon to me, so I drew down on him and threatened to shoot. He looked over his shoulder and as he began turning towards me gave that 2 x 4 a little flip towards neutral territory and with a sneer said, “Now what you gonna do white boy?”

I nodded to him to acknowledge he had me there. He nodded back. I took that to mean I had a moment’s grace to holster and secure my weapon. He waited, I snapped the thumb break closed, nodded at him, he nodded back and the fight was on the old fashioned way.

Ah, the good old days.