Is it just me or does it seem like there is a lot more activity with the upcoming census than in past years? Who exactly are these people who are showing up everywhere with their little GPS units to ask if the address is correct? It seems like since we are paying all these people to verify addresses, why not have them hand out the census forms as well, instead of paying yet again to have them mailed or otherwise delivered? These people who show up for this address verification procedure have some kind of little identification card around their necks but are otherwise not identifiable, nor are their vehicles. Their vehicles don’t even have a magnetic sign on the door. Quite a bit different from a marked Sheriff’s car pulling into the driveway, where I can immediately be at ease and see what the officer needs.

One such census person showed up this past Saturday while I was working in my shop building. I noted a small black car coming down the drive – not because I am especially observant, in fact I am somewhat lax regarding my involvement in security at home, allowing the alarms, cameras and sensors to do my watching. And the dogs, of course. So, when the big German Shepherd started to sound like he really wanted to kill something, I looked over to see the car. I walked toward it while pointing at the Shepherd (letting him know to do nothing at this point). I had no idea who this person was, and since I do not have people show up at home, I wanted to make sure the person was not going to exit the vehicle with anything that would cause a problem. The man in the car opened the door while clutching a little white box (a GPS unit). The man started to talk but really could not concentrate on what he was trying to say as he was not looking at my face. Rather, he was looking at the Glock 19 which was in an appendix carry holster next to my belt buckle (my house, my property, no need to conceal anything especially while I am working in dirt and grime). The man finally stammered out what he needed to ask, which was whether my address was indeed my address, though he never asked who I was. He did identify himself as a census taker and made a point of showing me his identification hanging around his neck. I didn’t show him anything.

I was incredibly polite, which increased his nervousness tenfold. I could tell that he just couldn’t put together all the things he was seeing, like the six foot chain link fences, the herd of dogs with the biggest one closest to him – just watching him and waiting and then me saying nothing about my pistol. He did not want to be a part of this situation. So, I told him that he could leave, which he did rather quickly. I suspect he will run into much more stressful encounters with others of us who live out in the hills and don’t like uninvited company. At least he was afforded a relatively painless learning experience during the time he was on my property. Meanwhile, the big Shepherd stretched out in the grass and I went back to work.