Perfect Score. (Exercising the Right).(robberies)(Brief Article)

Roy Pogue of Woodside, Utah, is a former Marine who learned to shoot during his military service. The part-time rancher operates Woodside Services, a convenience store and service station. Since opening the store in 1994, Pogue has faced a number of would-be robbers who apparently assumed that, due to his isolated location (his nearest neighbor is 30 miles distant), he was an easy mark. To the contrary, Pogue, who is licensed to carry concealed firearms, keeps a .410-gauge single-shot pistol in his pocket and has a .30 caliber Mauser semi-automatic handgun sequestered behind the counter.

In the first incident, a few months after Woodside Services opened for business, one of two men on their way to a rock concert in Salt Lake City entered the store while the other stayed outside. After other customers left, the man placed his hand in a pocket of his blazer (Pogue could not tell if he had a gun or was simply pointing a finger) and demanded money. Pogue quickly pulled the .410 pistol from his own pocket and stuck it in the man's face. During a recent interview he told THE NEW AMERICAN that the terrified thug "never said another word. His eyes got as big around as silver dollars, and he went running out the door." The two men fled, but were soon apprehended by Utah Highway Patrol officers. Pogue recalled that the officers "found 4,200 pills of LSD in the boot of their camper," and that the duo had committed two robberies between Kansas and Utah.

A year or two later, three inebriated individuals entered the store. One came to the counter and began asking questions. As related by Pogue, the gist of their conversation went:

"What would you do if we just took whatever we wanted?"

"I'd call the cops and have you put in jail."

"Well, what would you do if we just robbed you?"

"I'd shoot you."