Well now, they know what the factory records say---and they have no valid reason to doubt them. That is, right up until one of us screams like a ruptured mud hen!!

Then they do their damndest to at least explain what's what. Every once in a while---not often, but every once in a while I get so aggravated I'm tempted (only tempted----a personal problem) to tell them I don't care how the cat got pregnant, I want to know what to do with the kittens. Needless to say, the factory records don't have much of anything to say about kittens!!

I can tell you stories that'd make you tear your hair out----not many, and we can thank our lucky stars for that, 'cause keeping your hair is hard enough without any extra curricular problems!

My very best story has never been told before, and probably shouldn't be told now, but facts are facts-----and besides that, it has a happy ending!

I fired off a letter order on a 6" 2nd Model Single Shot. That which is SPECIAL about a 6" 2nd, is that 6" business. Here comes the letter. I was, not shocked, but sat straight up and wondered. That's because I thought the author was in the apprentice stage--and wondered if this was the first letter he'd ever written---'cause I thought it might be worth something extra down the road. Anyhow, and God bless him because he knew 6" 2nds were special, and he apologized for not being able to confirm the barrel length. Now there's no need for such an apology, cause his sources are what they are, and he didn't have anything to do with the sources.

So---what to do? I'd learned via the grapevine that the #1 letter writer was out of town at the time of all this---and PLAN B appeared right before my very eyes! I did nothing---until I knew #1 was back. Then I ordered another letter on the very same gun!! NOW we're going to see what's what!! That was risky, because maybe the apprentice isn't an apprentice anymore, and I could end up with another letter saying the same thing.

First up was the fact this second letter was signed by the other letter writer---and I was a happy camper----never mind what it said, I had a warm, fuzzy feeling! To the letter: That of importance goes like this---EXACTLY like this: "The records indicate that this pistol was shipped with a 6 inch barrel, blue finish, and checkered black hard rubber target grips. This was a special order for a single unit."

I hooted and hollered---loud enough that the Boss Lady came in to see what all the commotion was about. I told her---chapter and verse! She just shook her head---and scowled. (She's really good at scowling!) I told her all was well, and that maybe the first letter writer hadn't been to special order for a single unit research school yet. She scowled again!!

All that said, she's a good old gal---one of what I reckon are few. I came home from a show one time, and was met with her usual "Did'ja get anything?" I told her no, but I'd seen a gun I'd never seen before---and told her I could buy it---for A LOT of money! She asked if it was worth it. I told her I didn't know---that I'd seen one advertised several years before----for A LOT more money! Her reply: "Well, why don't you just go ahead and buy it?" "Yes Ma'am!" says I!

Ralph Tremaine