Woodcraft, I'm curious . . . what "country store?"
I was doing the forensics on this and thought . . . would it be a country store on a route used by motorcyclists? I'm thinking that that damage looks intentional; as though some disgruntled motorcyclist took a rock and swiped your top tube with it. I say this because I am a motorcyclist as well and I belong to a well-known, SF Bay area forum and, I have to say, The Spandexed are not much beloved on that site--in fact quite loathed by a few.
A theory!
On a more positive note, I also ride MTB. MTBers are used to riding with damage like that and worse on their CF steeds. It may not be the end of the world.