The time I had to draw my pistol after having my CWP for less than 2 weeks.

Freshly 21, got CWP in my state with no class bc of military service, decided I'd still take the class because I wanted to learn and make sure I knew the laws well enough to be responsible. Less than 2 weeks after being issued the permit, I was caught in a tough situation where I had to pull my pistol.2 hours into a 4 hour road trip I've made 10+ times at this point, stopping at a very familiar and busy gas station in broad daylight, in a town I know well. Leaving the busy gas station and I am in line in my truck waiting to pull out, maybe 2-3 cars in front of me, 10 or so behind. Good weather, windows down.I'd seen a fella in the gas station when I was grabbing a drink and he was a bit erratic. Not unlike some of the things I'd seen in this town, but still somewhat noteworthy. Same dude is about 5 cars behind me trying to cut his car in line ahead of a large SUV that won't let him in. He's screaming like hell, and I am watching in my mirror. I poke my head out when he goes beyond what I can see in my mirror and he sees me looking. I make no noise or gestures, and he points at me, and begins screaming some shit I can't understand. Hops in his car and pulls up, tires squealing and all, right next to me. By now, I should have had windows up and been maneuvering my truck to get the hell out, but this was my first real 'oh shit' encounter and I was wildly undertrained in real world situations and didn't realize what I had gotten myself into. My entire life was spent with guns in my hands, shooting in local pistol comps and trap shooting, hunting, etc. and I had never once felt this uncomfortable in a situation surrounding a firearm before.Gets to my truck before I realize "roll the window up shithead" and he's screaming as I am rolling it up. He gets a hand in the window, and onto the collar of my shirt. Still screaming god knows what, I can't remember well at this point, but I am pleading for him to stop. I normally carried pepper spray in the little compartment just left of my steering column but I had taken it out and given it to my sister not a week prior. Instead of continuing to roll the window, I reach for his hand to relieve the pressure on my collar, and for what feels like days I am telling him to relax and leave me alone. Finally, I decide I have no other choice, and I open my center console and pull my 19 I was carrying at the time. The handle doesn't get all the way out and he releases me, apologizing and backing off to his car immediately. I never lifted the gun above my dash, and never even pointed it at him. I put it away and once traffic moved I peeled out.In hindsight, there are ways I think I could have handled this better. But it was a great learning experience, and made me realize how much I didn't know and how much I wasn't prepared to handle in a split second. I am so thankful I wasn't hurt and I didn't have to hurt that man. I would imagine there was some serious amount of intoxication, and I should have noticed him earlier, determined the potential threat was real earlier, and avoided it earlier. Lesson learned, I am safer and more careful for it, and thankful we both went home alive. via /r/CCW https://ift.tt/319x9Tc