While visiting our friends Gail and George in their top-secret desert boondocking location outside Yuma, Arizona, I had the opportunity to fulfill a dream of mine. Something that’s been on my Dreams List for years. Nothing life changing – more of a guilty pleasure kind of thing.
Gail and George had other friends visiting them with their RVs – a retired tugboat captain and his wife from ‘War-shing-tun’ state, and a retired veterinarian and his wife from Colorado (names withheld to protect the innocent). We learned that the vet (‘veterinarian’ not military ‘veteran’, at least to my knowledge) enjoyed pistol shooting, and he offered to take those from the group that were interested out in the desert to shoot targets.
Although I have had some experience with firearms, I’m not a gun guy. I learned to shoot a .22 rifle around the age of 12 at the old Langley Rod and Gun Club. I fired a shotgun at clay pigeons, flying disks that explode when you shoot them, at a Boy Scout Jamboree (I wonder if they’d allow that today?). I have even taken the Canadian Firearms Safety Course which teaches gun safety, gun storage practices, and responsible gun use. But perhaps because I’m Canadian, where handguns aren’t common, I’ve never fired a pistol before.
A small group of us drove out into the desert, which wasn’t far at all because we were already camped there. We set up targets on a hillside, and took turns shooting.
Diane, appropriately attired, watched nervously.
I fired 3 different semi-automatic handguns.
I couldn’t hit the proverbial ‘barn door’ with the first handgun, but a red-dot sight makes aiming easy.
I couldn’t miss.
At this point, Diane was encouraged by the group to give it a go. Diane had never held a firearm before, let along shot one. Perhaps peer group pressure was a factor, but soon Diane was in the shooting position.
Diane cautiously fired a full clip.
Luckily this .22 had no kick, otherwise her form may have been an issue.
The final handgun was this monster. A ladies purse gun, still semi-automatic, and surprisingly accurate. I was shocked that I hit every target I aimed at.
Another dream fulfilled. More of a whimper than a roar, but still plenty of bang. Live Boldly.
When in Rome………….!!!
Diane, I loved the lady-like way you held your gun. Wouldn’t want to break a nail or anything 🙂
Nails! I wasn’t worried about my nails. I was worried about my life!