happy ending

[ika'ika]

So ill start this story with the fact that last summer my grandfather decided it was time to move to the nursing home. He is still with us, giving them nurses all kinds of guff.

The day before he moved he called me to tell me it was time to come pick up his guns. He had sad they were mine years ago. And I have a dirtbag brother in law that he was worried would bully my mother into giving them to him. Or out right steal them.

So the following weekend I made the 2 hour drive. Visited him in the nursing for awhile. Then went to his house where my mom was moving into. Helped her with the last of the moving. Then it was time to gather what he had given me.

He didn't have much. A relatively new Remington 870 in 20 gauge. A Ruger mini 14. A very old Remington 121 in .22 LR. A equally old Colt Official Police in .38sp. ... But wait the Winchester Model 94 30-30 was missing. I couldn't find it anywhere. So I called my grandpa and he told me he had sold it a few years back for 250!! Old bugger didn't know the value of the thing. This broke my heart. Because this particular gun was what took my first deer at the tender age of 13. Well I got over it.

This past weekend I was visiting my mom and doing some work around the property. When a very pretty hound with a bell on wondered up. Very nice dog. I checked the collar and called the number. When the man came to collect his bird dog he told me he had the Winchester. And because of my kindness for calling about the hound he would sell it to me for what he gave for it. Of course I said yes. A quick drive to the ATM. Then to his house, and a piece of my child hood has returned.

I couldn't be happier.

 

[Krell1]

Sweet story. Any feedback regarding the dirt bag brother in law? Great to hear a story with an ending like that. Pics of the Winchester would be nice.

 

[CW Spook]

Karma at it's best....

 

[Old TexMex]

It's nice when a plan works out, and a lot of times, it ain't our plan. It comes from the very Top. What a gift, and best wishes for the old fellow.

 

[Marshwheeling]

Don't want to seem churlish about such a very nice story, but doggone it, I thought this was going to be about a trip to the massage parlor.

 

[rwsmith]

Wish everything

I wish everything could end happily like that story. I thought for sure you were going to say the dirt bag brother took it.

 

[timn8er]

Marshwheeling, I too expected a totally different story!

In all seriousness, that is cool how things worked out for the OP. You probably couldn't write a better story than that.

 

[dmar]

So, what your saying is that the going rate for a happy ending is $250 these days....?

But seriously, awesome story! I had a long tough day today dealing with some pretty awful people. Your story gives me hope; thank you for sharing.

 

[Snapping Twig]

Many years back I learned to shoot a handgun with a Colt Trooper, an original 50's 38Spl. It belonged to my cousin.

His father had a really nice Remington 740 in '06 which was also from the 50's and easily 98%.

The father passed and the mother wanted to sell off the guns, so I bought them with the provision that I never tell my cousin.

I put a Pachmayer butt pad on the Remington, cleaned and oiled the Colt and used them once or twice.

When the mother passed I waited for @ a year and then one day found my long lost cousin. I really didn't keep in touch with him and didn't know his whereabouts, but I found him.

I set up a ruse of a visit, got there and right before I left I went to my car and retrieved two gun cases and gave them to him.

The old, "I almost forgot, I have something for you" deal.

He had tears in his eyes. His dad's rifle, his old revolver.

He wanted to give me whatever I paid his mom, was pissed at her for lying to him about what happened to them, etc., but at the end of the day I was glad to get them back together again.

Payment was the look on his face.

 

[ika'ika]

Its amazing the way things work some times. My wife, while she was a little upset about 250 vanishing from the bank unexpectedly, said it was fate. Fate that this particular weekend I was at my moms. Fate that that old hound wondered into our yard. Fate that the dog belonged to the very man who bought the rifle.

He told me he told my grandpa that it was worth more than he was selling. But the old man wouldn't listen.

He didn't have to sell me the gun. He didn't have to tell me he had it. All I had done was call the owner of a dog who was lost. I've done it before. I'd do it again without any thought of a reward.

I don't know if I believe in fate the way my wife does. Just a series of very fortunate events. I called my grandpa this morning. He's happy about it. Said he regretted selling it the moment he had the cash.

I cleaned and oiled the "blue steel beauty" last night. I plan a trip to the range this weekend.

I posted a shorter version of this story on face book. My brother in law called me shortly after. Asking if I would sell it. My 16 year old nephew needs a new hunting rifle. But it would just wind up in the pawn shop like everything that kid gets of value.

You see... the dirt bag brother in law is notorious for such. Everything anyone has ever gotten the boy that was worth 100 or more dollars has been lost at the pawn shop to feed a gambling and prescription pill addiction. Every year he gets a fancy TV or game system or firearm for his birthday. And a few months later its gone. With the same story that its broke and is in the shop. My nephew told me a couple years ago that he knew the truth. Its sad really. I told him we would plan a hunting trip just me and him. And he could use any of my guns he wanted. And when he's older and on his own I might be inclined to give him one or two of his great-grandfathers guns. if I know it will stay with him. He has as much right to them as I do. But through no fault of his, his father is the worst kind of person. Lying, cheating, manipulating drug addict. And if one of my grandpas guns was lost to feed that addiction, or to go back to the slots. I'm pretty sure id land in jail for at least assault. That a terrible thing to say. but its true.

Ill end by tellin y'all the same thing I told the man I bought the gun from.

I can't tell you what this means to me. But thank you.

 

[jimmib]

great story...I also shot my first deer with a mod. 94 and wanted it when my dad passed away only to find out that it belonged to my older brother all along and I had missed that fact as a child...my brother did offer to sell it to me but I said he had more memories with it than I did..I wanted it to teach my son to shoot and hunt with so I bought one and gave it to him...we now have one in our family...

 

[turnerriver]

Great story with a true happy ending but don't neglect that little Remington 121 pump .22. They are really fine rifles.
Regards,
turnerriver

 

[ika'ika]

Great story with a true happy ending but don't neglect that little Remington 121 pump .22. They are really fine rifles.
Regards,
turnerriver

Oh trust me. I shoot the heck out of it. When I can find ammo. Its in pretty ruff shape. And it James a lot. But its fun to shoot.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

I posted a shorter version of this story on face book. My brother in law called me shortly after. Asking if I would sell it. My 16 year old nephew needs a new hunting rifle. But it would just wind up in the pawn shop like everything that kid gets of value.

I guess the shorter version left out the "dirt bag" part