Lost my El Vaquero in Babies R Us

S

sticknrun

Joined
Feb 5, 2002
Messages
733
Please, let me explain...

When I get home from being out and about, I am like Mr. Rogers with my knives. I take off my neck knife and pull whatever blade from my pocket and place them next to my other EDC's that are located in the top of my dresser. I then will take out my around the house knife and place in on me appropriately. Well this time I reach for my right pants pocket and I felt nothing. My blood pressure went from 120/80 to about 195/120. I just remembered that when my wife and I were shopping at Babies R Us, I had to go #2 and during the process I took my El Vaquero out of my pocket to play with. I remembered placing the knife on one of the toliet paper holders while I (well, you know...) I then forgot to put it back.

I immediately called the store and asked if someone could go to the restroom and see if my knife was still there. After being on hold for what seemed like the length of the new Lord of the Rings movie, the manager came back and said that she had it locked up in her office. She also stated that I needed to be more careful because this is a baby store. I apoligized and said that I would be there in about 15 minutes.

Well let me tell you, I was kinda scared. I almost didn't go because #1 it was a five inch blade and #2 I was stupid enough to leave it in a baby store. I wondered if the Manager freaked out and called the police or something. Well I decided to go and get it no matter what.

When I arrived, it was kinda funny. I asked for the manager and told the clerk why. When the clerk went to get the manager, the manager went to the Security office ( I was pretty close by and saw a bunch of camaras) and closed the door. I was about fifteen feet from the door and I waited about ten minutes. I started to get scared and then the clerk came over and asked me to describe the knife. I stated that it was a big knife and that it was a "Cold Steel". About three minutes later the manager walked out with my knife wrapped in paper towel and handed it to me. I stated that I was sorry and thanked her. And that was it.

I will now be more careful when I disrobe my knives in public restrooms. I realize that to the sheeple, the El Vaquero looks like a friggin sword and having it in a baby store looked like I wanted to make baby stew. I am glad that the manager didn't make a big deal of it.



sticknrun
 
Hi Sticknrun,

The outcome would have been altogether different if your "weapon" of choice was measured in caliber. I very often carry my handgun with me and have had worries about such an incident in a dressing room or restroom.

With the knife in question (one big mother!), you’re fortunate that things went very smoothly for you.

This is a good reminder.
 
Great post! You've got BIG ONES to post that kind of stupidity!;)

Actually it's funny in a way because I've actually had nightmares that went kinda like that story. I actually got goosebumbs while I was reading!

Actually...
you've got REALLY big ones to have gone back after the knife. I SERIOUSLY would have just left it and woulnd't ever have gone into that store again.

:D I bet your heart just STOPPED when you realized where you left the knife!

Once in the morning before work, I was loading some stuff into the back of my vehicle including my range bag containing 3 handguns and about 400 rounds of ammo. I had planned on going to the range after work that day. At one point at about mid-morning I got the creepy feeling that I had left the bag on the ground and drove off without it in front of my apartment in Downtown Denver. My blood ran cold!:barf: I ran out to my vehicle and saw that it was safely in the back.
 
I left my Benchmade AFO on a gym locker room bench here in NYC... it was an automatic, and I was working for the state government at the time so I had no problems going back to look for it... but, it seems that no one had seen it. I'm sure it graces the pocket of some undeserving person who uses it to scrape labels off stuff, or pry open paint cans or something... Grr!
 
I think I got the same feeling during a 3-day excersise when I did my military service.

I had been toting my HK91 never being away from it more than an arms length. We came back to the barracks and got our guns locked in. Later that day when I´m eating lunch I get that weird feeling that something is wrong. All the blood in my head rush down to my toes when I realize that I don´t have the gun with me... It took about 5 seconds until I realized it was back in the safe. My friends had similar experiences.

Awful feeling.

/Colinz
 
fulloflead,

You are darn right my heart stopped. I just got a Jester yesterday so I think I will carry that one around for a bit.

Edit: I guess I do have some BIG ONES:D
 
stick, thanks for posting your experience. We can all use a little reminder from time-to-time. When I use a public toilet I always remove any valuables from my pants such as my wallet and money and find other places to stash them - on my person - to avoid the very nightmare you experienced. I also keep my knife handy though I avoid playing with it (my knife) when my genitals are exposed.
 
I left my Benchmade AFO on a gym locker room bench
Click to expand...

Just days ago, the locker room at my gym was croweded with the holiday resolution crowd (I hate January at the gym. It will be nice when all of these people give up and we can go back to normal.) I picked my bag up to put it in the locker, turned it on its side as you have to to get it into the narrow, vertical locker, and what should just fall right out but an 8" fixed-blade trainer knife. Nobody said anything, of course, but you could see that a few people thought that that was an odd thing to be in my gym bag.
 
It took some stones to post this. I guess it's a good thing you don't carry a handgun. :eek:

For safety's sake when I carry and handle guns and knives I follow certain habits. For instance put my ammo away when cleaning guns. Don't set them anywhere I wouldn't want to leave them. For that matter I do the same thing with my truck keys and it has stopped me from misplacing them too.

Good reminder though, sticknrun.
 
I remember years ago in some cop school, an old training officer suggested when you gotta go #2, take your gun (in this case knife) and drop it in the little pouch formed by your underwear when your pants are down around your ankles. You KNOW where it is...you can SEE where it is...and, if you for some reason forget and pull your pants back up, something should feel "funny" down there. Worst thing you can do is hang your gunbelt/fanny pack/holster on the hook on the door, if a bad guy has you tagged as possibly carrying, all he has to do is reach over the door, grab whatever is hanging there and run, you, with said pants down around your ankles and, unarmed, will be in no position to chase him.
 
Certainly the funniest single sentence I've seen on BladeForums:
my wife and I were shopping at Babies R Us, I had to go #2 and during the process I took my El Vaquero out of my pocket to play with
Click to expand...
(not some horrible form of mumblypeg, I hope ;) )


I avoid playing with it (my knife) when my genitals are exposed
Click to expand...
Dude-- words to live by. I don't think you can overstate the importance of this advice!

pud
 
I always play with my gadgets (er, real gadgets, like knives and flashlights) when I go #2. In fact, they have replaced magazines as #2 material. Whenever I feel the urge, no matter how urgent it is, I have to go choose a knife or flashlight to fondle while I'm going about my business.

I used to grab a laptop and play Starcraft while on the crapper. I stopped because it really sucks when the game takes an hour and I'd stand up having forgotten that I hadn't wiped yet. :barf:
 
Wow, this has been an informative thread!

Now I know who not to buy knives from! Or at least to ask, "This knife for sale - has it ever accompanied you to the john?" :eek:

:) :p ;) :D

Matthew
 
ewwwwww....:eek: !!!! glad you got your knife back!!! that was one close call. Nothing worse than to loose your edc!!!!!


p.s. Im like you I have the ones I carry lined up. work knife, sat. knife, Church knife, hiking knife, camping knife, whittling knife, traveling knife, ect. :)
 
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