how bought some

The first time I shot my Father's favorite shotgun (now also my favorite NON-DOUBLE-GUN) I was about 14, and we were out for ducks. I was used to the M12 pump, started with a 20 given to me when I was about 11- But his M12- a Tournament Grade 12 gauge- 30" Full with solid rib and solid red pad and fancier wood- Wow- I was in gunner's heaven you could say.

We were out in the Old Town canoe on an elbow point on Horseshoe Lake, mid-October, Saturday early morning (No Sunday Hunting in The Buckeye State except on Lake Erie back then) and there were many greenwing and bluewing teals locally, plus mallards and woodies too.

The eastern skies were blushing pink like a spinster schoolmarm who overhead a salacious remark I'd guess, a tad of windspit from behind us has just riffled the water, a few cork decoys (specie undetermined) were moving against the anchor line's tug- and Wheeveeee-Whoosh- a string of four greenwings came around the bend from behind us.

I had drawn the front position, and our rule was, whether floating a river or on the points of the lake, ONLY the bow placed hunter held the shotgun-- So my Father had given me first 'crack" at any Kamakazi-minded ducks- I swung that long barrel way ahead of the lead bird and crunched the trigger, BANG-Shuck- out came the red paper empty and down kersplash went the last teal in the string-

"Nice shot there, Son" was his comment as we got ready to paddle out and retrieve my first bird (of many to come later) with that "Money Gun"-- I never did tell him I was shooting for the lead bird, and he had the wisdom never to ask- So much for the old Samuel Langhorn Clemens comment about when he was 14 he thought his father wasn't very smart--:d uck:

[TARNATION !!!]

Originally Posted by Francis Morin

The eastern skies were blushing pink like a spinster schoolmarm who overhead a salacious remark ...

Did you write that all by yourself or have a bit of help????

Her piercing glance toward the back of the small school room froze Francis in a hopeless stare of anguish as he realized she knew from whence arose that salacious remark. No more blushing pink. As she grasped the pointer in one gnarled hand and the yardstick in the other, there was yet light, but the skies descended in an ominous melanistic rage........

I barely got past the 10th Grade Jack- but am an avid reader and either blessed or cursed with a retentive memory I guess- The schoolmarm came from the late Corey Ford's "Letter To A Grandson", and the morning pink from one of Nash Buckingham's great waterfowling stories- the rest I just "winged"! Glad you liked it, and I really liked your reposte as well. As Steinbeck said so well: "Now is the winter of our discontentment- or wait- was that Steinway--

Either way, would be great to share some bourbon and branch and haul out the Parkers and other fine guns and as Mr. Lewis C. said so well- discuss those cabbages and Kings--Walter King, Charles King--

The computer typewriter thingy has the gremlins, what I tried to asnwer was more akin to this-- The schoolmarm analogy came from the late Corey Ford's "Letter To A Grandson" and the pink skies came from one of many great Nash Buckingham's waterfowling stories- With Winter still with us, would be nice to share some bourbon and branch with you up there Jack- we could haul the Parkers and other goodies out of their steel tombs, admire them, and in the words of the late Lewis Carroll, discuss: "Cabbages and Kings- ie: Charles King, Walter King, heck- even Burger King--

[TARNATION !!!]

Well if you ever find yourself in my little frozen corner of the world, libations and conversations can flow. Steel tombs - an apt description. As a kid, they were just in a closet. In woodshop, I built a gun rack for Dad and they then were visible for all to see. As a young man, I hung my two favorites in the antlers of a mule deer mount (Dad was a taxidermist also) that was visible to any passerby on the front sidewalk. Nobody thought anything about that. People understood and accepted guns as a normal part of life. That changed over time and now we have the steel tombs. I must divest or see the undertaker and get a third tomb.

Cheers,
Jack

BTW: have you checked and deciphered the lyrics from the photos in your Visitor Messages ?? Hit the airwaves 1967.