Here's a question: what do you with the gun in your pants and the ammo in your pockets when you have to drop your guard and take a dump?

Now, I wouldn't have thought this was an issue for many of us. But a rash of recent stories suggests otherwise. Here's a sampling of three stories. Each one offers a different suggestion -- and then demonstrates the possible downside.

Possibility One: lay the gun aside.
Scene: the restroom at Jeffrey's Bistro in Laramie, Wyoming.

Chief of police Bob Deutsch remembers to zip up before walking out of the restroom. But he neglects to tuck in his .40-caliber Glock semiautomatic pistol. He had to issue an apology in which he admits, "Personally, I think that's a serious violation of policy."

Possibility Two: keep the gun, but lay the bullets aside.
Scene: a men's public toilet in a gas station near Batu Niah, Malaysia.

Someone leaves behind more than fifty bullets of a type used only by the military. But no gun is found. Putting two and two together (along with his string of titles and names), Deputy Police Chief Superintendent Abang Abdillah Abang Othman speculated that they belonged to someone who is with the security forces -- someone who may have had a drink too many.

Possibility Three: hold the loaded gun in your hands.
Scene: an apartment building in North Vancouver, B.C.

A guy sitting on the pot shoots off a finger while playing with his gun. No weapon or bullets are found at the scene -- just a shell casing and lots of blood. A member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police issued a warning that playing with guns while using the toilet is "not a good idea."

I'm out of ideas. Anyone know what Dirty Harry did?