Gun totin' nana....

 

Not a fan of change really… or of trying new foods or even of tasting a teeny bit of things that look icky – like escargot.  I am not a fan of scary things either. It is therefore surprising to me that I recently purchased a Smith and Wesson 380 handgun. Now – I think that handguns are both a big change for me and… very scary. Yes, you read that right – my home is now protected by Smith and Wesson (and so am I).  I need to get a sign for my door that says that.  Some will find that amusing; others perhaps not so much. Don’t care. I am okay with it.

Anyway... the gun, which is, at yet, unnamed, sat around in the box for several weeks while I waited for my gun safety classes to begin.  I took it out once to allow someone else to use it for target practice in order to compare it to a 9mm -- and once to show it to a good friend.  Hesitant to touch it myself, I began to wonder if I were beginning to lose my mind or worse – that I was already too far gone. A handgun? Really?  I mean – those of you who actually know me in the "outside of the blog world" - can you even picture me owning a gun, let alone learning how to shoot or… actually using it?  Well, imagine for a moment, as I have, that you are protecting those you love.  Would you use a gun if you had one handy and knew how to handle it properly?  I am thinking that you would… or that you might.  Plus, I am just ornery enough to use it to protect myself. I notice that I get better at ornery as time goes on. And… I know just where I plan to aim to stop an intruder -- if it comes to that. My son advised me on this and I have given it serious thought.  It's always good to think ahead ... to have a plan.

So – this is what happened. My son gave me some idea of the things that a gun owner should have - and so – off I went to shop for gun related items having no idea whatsoever what I was doing.  Apparently, I was so engrossed in reading the labels on everything that I became an annoyance to another customer… a nice man… yet … a man with limited patience.  I had no idea he was there behind me… until he did the polite “ahem” thing.  He looked at me from behind his mask and asked nicely if he could just pick out everything I would need. He asked me what kind of gun I had and then took everything I had in my hands and put it back on the shelves. It took him about a minute to find everything I needed - explaining each item to me as he went.  I thought him to be very nice until he told me not to be embarrassment to my grandson when we took the handgun safety class together.  I didn’t like him so much after that. But I digress....   My son also sent me a cool shooting supply bag in which to store everything and gave me advice on ammunition, etc.  We plan to shoot together when he is home for the holidays.  It will be a bonding experience.

So – time passed and I found myself standing at a shooting range in between my son-in-law and grandson.  It felt like I was in standing between two strong guardians. I like that feeling and once again wished that my son didn’t live so far away, so he could have been there too.  He, too, is so fun and ... patient ... as well.  Anyway – the instructor has no limit to his kindness and patience with a gun toting Nana, and I learned a lot of important things. (The other men at the range  -- standing as far away as possible from me -- were total gentlemen -- although I think I may have heard some muffled signs of amusement - nothing even close to snickering though -- which was kind.) Nevertheless -- I am looking forward to more lessons.  By the way – I shot better than my grandson who may be an excellent shot on the Trap Team, but is new to handguns.   12 of the 16 bullets I shot actually hit my target and the one time I shot using a fancy pistol with one of those red dot things, I actually hit the bullseye center – all of this without my glasses.  Yep… I figure I am on my way, partner…. Must also mention that a dear friend of mine happened to call me this week (always so good to hear her voice) and when I told her about my gun and that I was writing about it – she totally took it in stride and said that she, too, has seriously considered "packin’ heat". That would make two white haired ladies one would not want to underestimate. That is just one thing that I love that about her. She has always been a feisty one.  I love feisty - at any age.  

By the way – if you plan to stop over after dark or in the middle of the night... text first just to be on the safe side.  Also, by the way, both my son-in-law and grandson said that I definitely had not embarrassed them.  Nice. Very nice.