“Mom, I finally figured out what I want for my birthday. I want a gun.”
Have you heard these words at any time in your life? Because if you have not, I can tell you, they will stop you in your tracks. At least they did me.
My son has received extensive training in firearm safety. He placed second in an NRA competition. He is level headed, responsible and generally a good kid. His 18th birthday? Just this weekend.
After much thought, discussion and help from a hunter friend, I carried myself to Bass Pro Shops for a gun buying adventure.
I am one of those people who feels guilty walking in to an ABC store. So imagine my hesitation as I approached the gleaming display of guns.
“I assume this is for you. Don’t you want to hold it before you buy it?” Nervous chuckle. “Umm, no you go ahead and just box it up.” Nervous chuckle.
Tons of paperwork and a police check later, I was at the cash register. My worst crime? They didn’t take my type of debit card so I <gasp!> wrote a check. Did you know it is harder to pay by check these days then it is to buy a gun?
It took a fifteen-minute phone call to finally get my check approved. Fourteen of those minutes were simply hold time. Shouldn’t the long phone call have been to determine if I was competent enough to buy a firearm rather than if I could pay by check? I’m just sayin.
During my wait, I noticed a price sticker on the floor. I picked it up, read it and then re-read it. And then I laughed. And laughed, and laughed and laughed.
Do you own a gun? Was it a pain in the an adventure when you purchased it? Or was it more of an adventure the last time you tried to pay by check?
