Open Carry Convert

[Ashkelon]

In the past 15 years I have never open carried. Last week I bought an outside the belt holster for my M&P 9c and put the gun in it and in the safe last night. I used it the first time today....much to my benefit.

Long story short...neighbor with shredded tire at 16th and Illinois in Indy. Go to assist in my 4wd because his wife and baby were in car on way home from Riley. Drop wife and kid off and go back to car.

Two homeless guys ask for money while we work on his car at the gas station. No worries. Happens all the time.

Then a couple young guys ask to the point of being aggressive and ****ty when we would both politely say no we did not have extra money. Not like the down and out guys who obviously needed to beg. They then meet up with a group of other young guys in front and are all hanging around the station. Different ones from the same group come up one or two at a time and ask for 5 dollars each. One guy asked 2 times. Same guy! It wasn'[t like they were offering to change the tire for 5 dollars -- they just wanted five dollars and wanted it now. WTF!?

I got a little hinked out by these guys as they all seemed to be hanging out around and in the gas station together so I tell my neighbor hurry the f*** up and I got my gun out of my console and I clipped my gun on my snowpants and sat on my tailgate facing their group with my gun exposed while my neighbor finished with tire. Not one more person came over to us. They mill aorund about 15 yards away and talk amongst themselves and eventually head off down 16th. I about shart my snowpants.

Was I inviting trouble or diverting it? I don't know but I sure felt a heckuva lot better and more secure with my gun on me and them knowing I had it.
BTW I was nervouse and keyed up as can be. It just had that funky feel. And in the middle of the day?! Not sure how to ultimately feel about it but right now I am kicking myself for not having my gun on my person when the first to young guys came up.