A knock on the door.

[Scott Tschirhart]

This morning I had a visit from a middle aged couple who knocked on my door. The gentleman handed me the card below and spoke to me about how God can help folks with their daily struggles.

The woman stood behind him and slightly offset to my right as we talked in the doorway. Her purse was in front of her and her right hand stayed in that purse.

I figured that there was a pistol in that purse which didn’t really bother me because I have a pistol under my shirt and I don’t think that there was much chance of getting shot before I could make it a really bad day. But I was curious.

We spoke for a bit and I testified as to my faith and my concern about how people got by without faith. We said goodbye and as she turned away I was able to see the butt of a small revolver in her purse. Can’t say that I blame her.

[LeverGunner]

Thanks for sharing.

[Griff]

You're a better man than I... It seemed that they would knock on my door Sunday @ 0830-0900 after I'd worked a 6 - 2am shift, arriving home between 3 & 4. After several consecutive weeks of this I just answered the door in my skivvies and a beer in hand. I guess I presented too much of a challenge, cause after about the 3rd time, they quit! I was glad, for a beer that early in the morning isn't good to start off the day and I was too cheap to throw it out!

[Scott Tschirhart]

I don’t mind folks trying to proselytize to me. I sort of encourage them. If I don’t take a few minutes to listen to this kind of thing, what does that say about me? Didn’t hurt me and didn’t cost me a dime.

[JimT]

I usually listen also. I disliked the idea of going door to door and never did it. I was uncomfortable doing such a thing. Made me feel like I was trying to sell something. I figure that of the ones who come to the door, at least a few of them are uncomfortable doing it so I try not to make it worse for those who feel that way.

[Bill in Oregon]

I am always civil, and for years gave the Witnesses and the Mormon elders a few minutes to share their message, then explained my own species of faith and bid them good luck. I am less patient now, preferring not to be pestered by folks with beliefs I find in many ways "quaint," to put it mildly. From my examination, it appears both sects believe in "my way is the only way," and I am less inclined to put up with it. And yes, I have gotten crabbier with age!

[.45colt]

Anymore if I See "Them" who ever they are in the Driveway. I don't answer the door. knock and go away please.....For a few years in the summer We would have Guys driving around in an old truck selling Restaurant Quality Beef . I was out in the Garage one day after cutting the grass, radio going having a Beer and they pull in the driveway . All hopped up to sell Me steaks. I told them I didn't need any and one of them insisted . I had some of My knives on a table inside the door and grabbed a 10" steak knife and told Him I had been a Meatcutter for 40+ years. They got in the truck and never came back.

[GunnyMack]

Probably about 1990, I got home from work, got in the house and saw a stray cat in the yard. At the time we were over run with feral felines. I ran to my bedroom, grabbed my 870, it was at that point my 96lb Labrador knew the game was on- she despised cats!
Down the stairs, grab the front door knob, pulled it open and Lady blasted past me knocking 2 Witnesses down the front steps. I stood there dumbfounded to them being there, dog didn't stop and had the cat treed.
As they gathered themselves noticing me with a shotgun they backed away and got in their car and drove off. They have not come back and I got the cat!

[JimT]

When my wife and I moved to Oracle, Arizona in the late 1970's, we were new to the area. After a week there we had been dealing with dogs coming by and spreading our trash around, looking for snacks. I sat my shotgun by the door and told my wife I was gonna shoot the next dog that tore up our trash.

Early one morning our dog began frantic barking and I ran to the door and grabbed the shotgun. Running outside my wife was right behind yelling "DON'T SHOOT! DON'T SHOOT!" as she did not like me shooting cats and dogs. There in yard sat a cowboy on his horse, his eyes wide as saucers. I looked at him and thought about explaining when he said, "I was just cutting through to the pasture." I waved him on and said, "Go ahead."

After than little episode we never had any cowboys ride through again. I did not know until later that the cowboys had normally cut through our property to shorten the ride to the pastures.

[Walt]

I have a couple of game cameras pointing up my driveway. My wife and I enjoy the coyotes, foxes, the occasional bobcats, mountain lions and bears that show up in the middle of the night. Last Sunday I was checking out the camera memory cards and lo and behold, a couple of armed guys in uniform had strolled down the driveway the previous Wednesday at five in the morning. I was more curious than alarmed so I called the sheriff's office and a short time later a deputy called me back. I asked whether the guys walking down my driveway were his people. I explained the situation, he told me he hadn't been on duty that day but would call me back after checking the call log. He said they had gotten a call at 4:45AM and were asked to investigate.....he gave me some cocamamie, completely implausible story about someone trying to locate their truck, having been unable to ping it (I don't even know what that means). I imagine he was trying to avoid telling me who made the call in case I was upset about it.

Every weekday morning I go for a 2 mile hike, leaving the house at around 4:45AM. I have a powerful headlamp but frequently turn it off to enjoy the tranquility, the bright stars, etc. We have a new neighbor, some folks who moved in just a week or two ago. I haven't spoken with them yet but I presume they saw me leave on my morning walk and thinking I was a burglar, called the sheriff. Because of the timing of their 911 call and the time the deputies came looking around my house, I was still 15 minutes from returning home.

I am pleased that my new neighbors were keeping an eye on their surroundings. I am also relieved that I didn't come down the driveway when the deputies were here. I carry concealed on my walks and would not have wanted a confrontation in front of my house.

[Ysabel Kid]

Way, way back - 40 years ago when I was in college and living in an apartment off campus, my roommate decided to get a boa constrictor for a pet. It was about 5.5 feet long, and just one long muscle. Boring pet, so he promptly ignore it most days. I felt bad for it (silly, I know), so when I got back from classes each day, I'd take it out of it's cage and hold it while watching some TV. It liked my body heat, and would wrap around my torso, poking its head out of my neck hole or sleeve.

The doorbell rings one afternoon while the snake is firmly wrapped around me. Unwrapping it was a 5 minute operation, best case, so I just went to the door to answer it - with the snake's head sticking out of my neck hole on the shirt. The pair of Jehovah's Witnesses took one look at the snake and apparently decided I was too far gone. They spun around and left without saying a word.

Best snake I ever met...

[Ray]

That confounded chino-microbe sure put a screeching halt for several years to both the "russellites" and the l.d.s. visitors but I guess they're back at it.

I remember somewhere around 30 years ago the "russellites" began to come visiting in numbers for their own safety. One day between dusk and twilight a run-down looking, 15 passenger van pulled into the drive and about 8 to 10 black folk in church livery piled out. I was at work and my newish bride phoned me in a panic. In between the garbled conversation I could tell she was praying in tongues as they say. She rang-off the phone abruptly. A quarter hour or so later she called back to say that she and the baby were safe and the trespassers were gone. She said a big buck in a fancy suit came to the door and knocked aggressively/violently. She said that she called out for GOD's protection and the guy ran away screaming and they all promptly left.

Some months later a guy name of Marshall who is a Punjabi despite the surname came around selling life insurance. He casually mentioned that he was J.W. and had been to my house before with a van load of others. He said the van driver had gone to the door to knock and a large hornets nest fell from the soffit overhead and he was stung dozens of times before he could get away.

There was no hornets nest that I ever saw before or after the event. Miracle ? Does anyone believe I would let any wasps/hornets nest progress that far near my front door ?

[Grizz]

well there are false religions, and i do not call faith in Christ a religion, but a pair of someones of a false religion showed up and wanted to talk, so i welcomed them to the front steps and sat down to ask them questions. now, i use the Authorized Text, and it's very poetic and doesn't pull any punches, so i asked the young intern to read this passage out loud >>
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The Gospel that all the early apostles, preachers, teachers and believers accepted centers around the resurrection, the absolute guaranty of all the promises, is in this text . . .
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agape †