down the rabbit hole

family: a blessing, a curse, the learned dysfunction, things and people out of our control, the baggage one carries through life. one woman's story of the craziness that makes up her family. the hurts, disappointments, fun, hilarity, tears, laughter, life and death.

13 March 2006

training "annie oakley"

as i mentioned in my previous post, my in laws lived in the middle of oglala sioux reservation territory. when the indians received their government checks they often headed to town to drink and party.

on a fairly regular basis, a car full would stop at the farm looking for many things......most often gas. but this was a farm. the only gas pump on the property held diesel fuel for the farm equipment.

chuckles related a story to me, early in our dating, about the time a car full of indians stopped to try and get some gas. they threatened the old man who owned the farm and cornered him in his barn. chuckles was, thankfully there, and with a few well aimed blows of his fists and then picking up a tire iron, he scared the indians off the property. (chuckles was a big guy....6'4", about 195 lbs).

chuckles and i were visiting his parents during a med. school break (chuckles was in med school). every one was going into town but me. i was cooking my family sauce for dinner....it was an all day...more or less....project.

prior to everyone leaving, it was decided that i needed to learn to shoot a gun.

del: chuck, she has to know how to protect herself in case the indians come by.

chuck: yeah, you're probably right. you bring your gun?

now, del was chuckles half brother and a cop in a nearby nebraska town. you'll love this.....their uniforms were: blue jeans, a work shirt, stetson, cowboy boots, along with the usual police stuff in their holsters, with the exception that they all carried .357 magnums as their official side arms. oh, and their squad cars? old yellow taxis painted blue and white. i kid you not. i laughed so hard when i saw those. and my in laws couldn't figure out what was so funny.

and honestly, being in that particular nebraska town was like walking back into the old west in some ways. i half expected to see james arness (ya know...."gunsmoke") walk out of the police station.

but i digress......if any of you have ever shot a gun you know there's a bit of a kick to most. but a .357 magnum, well......that'll land you on your ass if you aren't prepared.

i'd never held a gun in my hand.

chuckles: rose, come here.

me: what honey?

chuckles: del and i want to teach you to shoot. you should be able to protect yourself when you're alone on the farm.

me: you're kidding, right? i've never held a gun, and you want me to be "dirty harry" with that .357 magnum?

del: you'll be fine. come on. we'll go out across from the barn.

so there we stand; del, chuckles and me. del takes the .357, shows it to me, explains how to sight an object, and shoots off a couple rounds.

he hands me the gun as i beg him not to make me learn. the gun scared me. actually, it was more the thought of actually having to use it that scared me. they were both very insistent.

gun in right hand, left hand gripping my right fist to keep it steady, feet apart shoulder width and i look down the sight. the first round i fire off lands me on my ass, the kick was so powerful. oh, and the bullet just missed the cat.

chuckles and del are laughing as i get up and wipe off my ass.

me: ya know, you really shouldn't laugh at a woman holding a gun.......

chuckles: oh yeah, after watching your first shot, i'm really worried!

okay, back in my shooting stance. this time expecting the kick, i fire off my second shot. it hit the front tire of our car......i was aiming for the barn just beyond the car. hey, but i stayed on my feet this time!

del and chuckles exchange glances.

del: okay rose, try a couple more shots. focus on the sight. steady your shooting hand with your left. you can do this.

back to my shooting stance. i'm still aiming at the barn.....the big flipping side of a barn....red. not easy to miss, right?

i shoot and the bullet hits the ground right in front of the poor dog. scared him to death. and i'm on my ass again.

del: guess we don't leave her alone or with a gun.

chuck: yeah, i'll stay home with her......

and they both got a good laugh at my expense. sheesh, i really did feel like i was living in the old west sometimes out there........

i didn't pick up another gun until about 5 years later, when a boyfriend tried to teach me to shoot his gun. i didn't fair much better. guess i'm not cut out for the use of firearms.

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