Things that are special

[tacreload]

That old Enfield was given to me by my uncle 47 years ago. He passed away about 3 weeks ago and my aunt gave me this Case that was his last Sunday at my grandson's first birthday party. Pondering passing that rifle to his grandson some time in the near future. I think it would be what he wanted.

 

[shouldazagged]

I recently gave my son the forty-plus-year-old Marlin Golden 39A I carried many and many a mile on squirrel-hunting trips with my dear, insane younger brother, who died six months ago yesterday. He did some work on it soon after I bought it. He put in an improvised and perfectly effective internal over travel stop and lightly polished the sear. These were things he had done to his identical 39A, which his daughter now has.

Funny, I'm having a little difficulty reading this.

I also have a painting my dad did, and the little Old Timer peanut knife he carried for his last years. And my late wife's wedding band, as well as various little gifts we exchanged in the too-few years we had before she died.

I think I need to stop writing now.

 

[sheepdawg]

My dad left me some P.O.W. art he did in 1945 and a nice German Luger. Yeah, they're special.

The guy that hired me 30 years ago and basically taught me everything sold me the Remington 700 as it sits for $350. He wanted a Benelli shotgun and had never fired the 700 even though he had owned it for 20 years and I told him if he ever wanted to sell it call me first. He died about five years later. It's special too.

 

[A10]

I have several that Dad gave me. My great grandfathers guns were destroyed when their house at Black River Junction burned. My grandfather only had a Red Ryder, which I now have. My Uncle Chuck, Dads next oldest brother, will pass me his Colt 1911 that he carried in Korea (and ever since by the way) when Iits time. I ha e some pocket knives from my grandfather on my moms side though.

 

[zzzippper]

My mom always said that I was special. Usually while whispering to my aunts at Christmas dinner.

 

[LouisianaJoe]

I have a 1918 vintage Colt 1911 that my father gave me before he died. He won it in a poker game in the 40's.

It will go to my son.

 

[cussedemgun]

Time, at my age, any I have left to me is special.

 

[A10]

Well said, cussmudgeon. Our time, especially with our loved ones, is the most special gift we have been given.

 

[S&W Fan]

Just got home from an evening with my older son, his wife and their almost 17 month baby boy. Holding that munchkin, having him smile at me and then laying his head on my shoulder epitomizes for me what's special.

 

[Old 44 Guy]

I passed my grandfathers Win. Hi Wall 38-55 to my son year ago, Wanted to keep it in the family

 

[williamlayton]

Friends of my father gave me several things that he had given them before he was killed.
They are special.
Just do it !
Blessings

 

[Beemerguy53]

My elder son, who is 32, has the Schott Brothers motorcycle jacket I was wearing the day he was born. (I was at work, at my West Baltimore firehouse, when my wife went into labor prematurely at home. I got on my Kawasaki and rode directly to the hospital, while my in-laws drove her there. I got there just in time for his birth.)

I have the valve lapping tool and soldering iron my Dad used to keep his '34 Ford running.

I have three helmets from various stages of my career, along with uniforms I wore and other fire service artifacts.

In 1977 or so, I bought a brand-new Guild D-35 guitar. I used to sit next to my sons, when they were babies in their cribs, and play it gently while they went to sleep. I have a photo of myself, taken in 1982, playing that guitar in my firehouse. It sits in a stand in my home now, and I still play it almost every day. My elder son, who is a far better guitarist than I've ever been, will get it some day. (My younger son, who is a federal law enforcement officer, will get my guns.)

 

[MasterTech1960]

I have a hand carved smoking pipe, that my Great grand Father smoked every day. My Grand Mother had it , and gave it to me. She said I look like him and she wanted me to have it for safe keeping. Sadly she is gone now, but I have a little piece of Love to hold.

 

[rwsmith]

My genius crazy sister....

My mom always said that I was special. Usually while whispering to my aunts at Christmas dinner.

My crazy as a loon sister who is also a genius was acting so goofy one of my Dad's friends was sympathetic and said that he didn't know he had a retarded child. She's 55 now and still as crazy as ever. You want a laugh, get around her.

 

[Faulkner]

My grandfather bought this .32 Safety Hammerless "Bicycle Gun" from a hardware store in Memphis in 1935. He pretty much always carried it with him in his pocket until he died in 1969. Living alone after he passed, my grandmother took it and I found out later she slept with it under her pillow until she moved into a retirement community a few years ago. I was helping her move when she gave it and a vintage box of cartridges to me, the oldest grandson.

Though the blue finish is mostly gone it is in perfect working order. I've never fired it and will eventually pass it down to one of my two sons.

The watch and Old Timer pocket knife belonged to my other grandfather.

 

[Big Cholla]

I have my Father's 'Hamilton Railway Special' pocket watch that is in great shape could be used today by just winding it up. He was a Fireman/Engineer for UP Railroad during WW II. I also have my Grandfather's 'Wade and Butcher, Sheffield, England' Straight Razor Special Grade, his razor strop and his shaving mug. I have a Cousin that was 'delivered' at birth by that Grandfather in their farmhouse. Strangely thru normal circumstances that Cousin never ever saw his and my Grandfather as an adult. I knew and loved that Grandfather well, and have retold many a story about him to my Cousin. We are good friends and I'm going to give him both the shaving stuff and my Dad's watch. I never had any actual kids of my own to pass them onto and my wife's grandsons wouldn't appreciate objects like that. ........................

 

[Cyrano]

I have some things from my father, but the most special are in these pictures. The two little books are my father's diaries for 1917 and 1918 when he was the corporal of a Lewis Gun squad in the 27th Infantry Division in WW I in France. The big box is his letters home to his mother during that time. I've transcribed them all and have them in the computer. It's not 'The Red Badge of Courage' but it does give an interesting glimpse of what it was like on the front lines in World War I.

 

[the ringo kid]

I have none of my Dads or Granddads guns.My older brother STUPIDLY gave them all away never asking other family members if they wanted any or not?. IFI die before he does? he doesnt get any of my guns. I wanted that Winchester he captured off a Mex bandit he killed. That Winchester was stolen from someone in Colombus NM.

Other than that--all I have is what I rescued that was another granddads Navy Captns jacket--his Doughboy overseas cap-some of his medals--and my Dads Korean War tunics and Ike Jacket. Nothing else survives--well-except his hammer and a pair of WWI French Binoculars that he got from his dad--whoim guessing--fought in France in WWI?????.

 

[walkin jack]

"A sip of good whiskey of an evening." Agustus MacRae from LOnesome Dove

Living in a world where people will give you guns. I have a 1973 SS Ruger Blackhawk .357 mag, given to me by my best friend in this life, a Webley MKI .455 top break given to be my another good friend and my grandfathers 1883 S&W top break .38 and my dads Colt 1903 .32acp.

Having the love and respect of the children you spent all those years raising.

Being almost asleep and having you dog or cat jump up on the bed and go to sleep with you.

That new gun, new car, new house feeling.

The day you graduate High school and college

The day you retire from your life's work

The day each of your children and grandchildren are born.

Putting a jacket on for the first day of the cold season and finding a 20 dollar bill in the pocket.

The soft touch of the hand of the woman/man you love best in the world.

The smell of gun smoke and the feel of recoil in the morning.

The feel of salt water against your skin as a hot-pink sun comes up in your face as you stand in a calm surf and a strong fish tries it's best to turn your fishing rod into a question question mark.

When, on a night when you know that you have more good days behind you than you have ahead of you and as you lay down to go to sleep you feel the satisfaction you get from the knowledge that you have done your best in your lifetime to be a good son, brother, friend, co-worker, parent and husband that you could be. Given your family a good life and been a good provider, patient parent, and loving faithful husband. (I still have a few good miles left in me but I'm kinda at this point right now.)

There's more but these are the ones that come to mind just now.