Tonight my daughter did something that caused me a great deal of stress and pissed me off.......all at the same time.

Back around the end of Feb., I moved 'into town' (edge of New Ulm). Before this, I had spent the past 16-17 years living out in the country at least 15 miles from the nearest 'large town' and about 2 miles from a small town of around 600.

I'm still 'getting used to' living around people.

Anyways, here goes.........

This afternoon, I came home, did my laundry, let the dogs run, yada, yada, yada....(I just got home from being on the road the past 8 days).

Around 8-ish, my 21 yr. old daughter calls me and we talked for a few minutes (I've been sitting here at my desk in the livingroom playing on the intermess most of the evening).

During our conversation, there was NO MENTION of her dropping by (she lives about 70 miles away from me). Anyways, a little bit ago, someone tries to open the door to get in, my dogs go nuts and my desk is 5' from the door.

I was NOT expecting 'company', so I jumped up, unsnapped my thumb break holster and got a good grip on my 1911.........

Thankfully the door was locked and no entry was gained.

I hear (loud voice), "Dad, are you awake?"

Once I heard her voice and realized it was her, I was greatly relieved!
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She scared the shit outta me!

I can't count the number of times since I've started carrying, that I've told BOTH my kids (and a few close neighbors/friends), to 'warn me' before they drop by.

I NEED to find another place out in the country where I can have at least 1 dog outside at all times that'll warn me when someone 'drops in'.

Am I 'too paranoid'?

Been there, done that.

When I was living at my parents, I saw them out the door and told them to have a good time whereever they were going.

I knew they wouldn't be back for at least 24 hours, and I wasn't expecting any visitors.

When I was awakened by the sound of the door opening and then closing at around 10:30 PM, my first reaction was to grab my .32 and gingerly approach the entryway. I peaked around the corner and saw my sister looking for a pillow in the basket in the living room.

"Oh, it's you."

She looked at me. "Of course it's me. Who were you expecting?"

"No one."

"So I guess I'm lucky not to be staring down the barrel of a gun right now."

Up until she said that, I was holding the Tomcat in my right hand, behind the meaty part of my right thigh. She was laughing until she saw me casually uncover it and clear the chamber before I pocketed it.

"No, it's not that. It's usually that Mom and Dad lock the door on their way out."

On the up side, she never comes in without knocking any more, and as far as I know my parents have gotten more dilligent about locking their door when they go out.

Hunter,

Yes, maybe a little paranoid. In the city, people drop by. It happens. I am not saying don't carry or anything, but that you may have to change your perceptions. Just because your doorbell rings or someone knocks does not mean that the Bloods or Crips have shown up to loot the place.



Of course, in MPLS, someone knocking on your door also may mean the Bloods or Crips have shown up to loot the place. Therefore, full combat readiness may be in order.

My little sister was living with me at one point, which meant by extension her boyfriend basically lived with me too. One night my sister was gone for the weekend and her boyfriend was supposed to be spending the night at a friends place downtown.

I'm in the process of taking out garbage. Just took out the garbage from upstairs, came back in, closed but did not lock the front door. Was downstairs in the process of rounding up the garbage downstairs to take out.

Hear the front door open and someone walk in. I was in my office at the time and I keep a pump-action shotgun in there. Grabbed that just as I heard someone start coming down the stairs. Knowing I didn't have time to call police I racked a slug into the chamber.

Footsteps stopped.

Knowing I had his attention I ordered the person out of my house immediately and lied that the police were already on their way.

Next thing I hear is my sister's boyfriend's voice..."Kevin??"

I was livid. I stepped out of my office and around the corner to the hallway at the base of the stairs, with the shotgun in hand. And in as calm a voice as my adrenaline would allow instructed him that if he was going to live in my home he would knock from now on.

Nonsense- they don't generally knock...

I'd agree that it sounds a bit paranoid. Throughout your life, how many times has somebody came over unannounced? And how many of those times have you had to use your weapon? I'm going to make an assumption that the percentage will remain fairly constant for the rest of your life. I'm not saying don’t be prepared, I am saying don’t be paranoid about a knock... It wasn’t an unannounced entry.

Mine wasn't even forgetfulness, it was drunkenness.

I lived with a guy who had a brother who lived with their folks. This was before people lived together and when my roommate got married I was to move out while he's on his honeymoon (needed to patch a hole in the wall...a whole other story).

I left the wedding early and went home to continue packing and cleaning. I'm awakened at Oh-dark thirty by someone rattling the door knob trying to get in. I grab my model 19, tiptoe down the hall; have the run pointed at the door knob (finger out of the trigger) and peek out the curtains. It is little brother, drunker than a skunk trying to mate key to door knob. No one told me he was staying over. I tiptoe back to bedroom and put gun away and go down and open door, help him into the living room and go back to bed.

He never knew how close he came to being a statistic.

I have kids in college. They ring the doorbell no matter how late it is. They learned early to do that. That said with two kids in college and living on campus but still in the metro area if I went full tactical everytime the doorbell rang I would go nuts. We have kids showing up here all the time. I let the dog decide. He gives the happy to see you bark to people he knows. Followed by the your dinner bark to those he does not know.

In MPLS, neither do the police.

Same here. However, my daughter did not knock or ring the doorbell. She just twisted the knob and when the door didn't open right away, she put her shoulder into it thinking it was 'hard to open'.

Same with my daughter (at the time). Before she left (and after I had time to 'unwind'), I again explained to her why it's not a wise thing to do just walking right in or putting her shoulder into the door.