During most of my youth people were asking me that. The nuns daily beatings over writing left handed: "What is wrong with you!?" Fights, assorted scrapes, car wrecks, general drunken tomfoolery, every time: "What is wrong with you?" It's been over 20 years since anybody's asked me that (except for the wife of course) and I've noticed it ain't just me.
Today I decided that even in the heat, it was time to shoot. Nothing fancy, a .22 (34-1 2"), a 38 (67) and my carry gun (6906). Got the range all to myself and after awhile I am settling down (some kinda electrical problem with the truck giving me every warning light flashing but didn't strand me, thank YouKnowWho). After a half hour, a guy with a kid about 10 comes in and asks "What lane?" I says "Pick one." About 10 minutes later he comes up behind me with a Glock 17 rental. No panic, calmly: "Can I help you?" Him: "How do I load this?" Me: "Have you ever handled a gun before?" Him: "Oh yes, shotguns hunting with my dad as a kid." About then I packed my kit and went down to his lane and proceeded to start yelling the 4 rules. He had his phones off in the range. Me: "Put them on, I will yell!." Showed him how to load the one mag and to release the slide by grasping it, pull it back and letting it go. I fired the first shot and he finished the mag. Struggled mightily to reload but he got it and emptied another. Kid's turn and even though he was 3 feet low at 10 ft, the grin was priceless. Now the kid goes out and mom comes in. I was ready for the "4 rules lecture" again but she was all about "smartphone pictures and Facebook" so I took it as my cue to vacate. In my head I heard the question "What's wrong with you?" 40 years ago there was no way you could go to a range with zero experience, get handed a firearm and a poly bag of cartridges. Even in NJ there was always somebody around to get a newbie started. I understand business is business but really:
1) Who hands a gun and ammo to an untrained person and says: "Enjoy."
2) Who (that has zero experience) brings a 10 yr old to share this experience?
3) As the spousal unit of an untrained person with a live Glock (who has had a 20 minute lesson by a "range codger") is it that vitally important to "Facebook this moment" rather than focus on the task at hand?
We have created a completely disconnected world and we are only aware when something awful happens because we are disconnected.
Rant over and I apologize in advance for the preceding text wall. Joe
Today I decided that even in the heat, it was time to shoot. Nothing fancy, a .22 (34-1 2"), a 38 (67) and my carry gun (6906). Got the range all to myself and after awhile I am settling down (some kinda electrical problem with the truck giving me every warning light flashing but didn't strand me, thank YouKnowWho). After a half hour, a guy with a kid about 10 comes in and asks "What lane?" I says "Pick one." About 10 minutes later he comes up behind me with a Glock 17 rental. No panic, calmly: "Can I help you?" Him: "How do I load this?" Me: "Have you ever handled a gun before?" Him: "Oh yes, shotguns hunting with my dad as a kid." About then I packed my kit and went down to his lane and proceeded to start yelling the 4 rules. He had his phones off in the range. Me: "Put them on, I will yell!." Showed him how to load the one mag and to release the slide by grasping it, pull it back and letting it go. I fired the first shot and he finished the mag. Struggled mightily to reload but he got it and emptied another. Kid's turn and even though he was 3 feet low at 10 ft, the grin was priceless. Now the kid goes out and mom comes in. I was ready for the "4 rules lecture" again but she was all about "smartphone pictures and Facebook" so I took it as my cue to vacate. In my head I heard the question "What's wrong with you?" 40 years ago there was no way you could go to a range with zero experience, get handed a firearm and a poly bag of cartridges. Even in NJ there was always somebody around to get a newbie started. I understand business is business but really:
1) Who hands a gun and ammo to an untrained person and says: "Enjoy."
2) Who (that has zero experience) brings a 10 yr old to share this experience?
3) As the spousal unit of an untrained person with a live Glock (who has had a 20 minute lesson by a "range codger") is it that vitally important to "Facebook this moment" rather than focus on the task at hand?
We have created a completely disconnected world and we are only aware when something awful happens because we are disconnected.
Rant over and I apologize in advance for the preceding text wall. Joe
Larry
