Lazarus Long Learns to Shoot

[Subdeacon Joe]

I'm starting to re-read Heinleins "Time Enough For Love" and thought I'd share this part of it with you all:

 

He (Ira Johnson, his grandfather) had me out south of town teaching me to shoot. I was maybe ten and he was-oh, I don't know; he always seemed ninety years older than God to me.* (* Ira Johnson was seventy when Lazarus Long was ten. J.F. 45th) He pinned up a target, put one in the black to show me it could be done, then handed me the rifle-little .22 single-shot, not good for much but targets and tin cans-'All right, it's loaded; do just what I did; get steady on it, relax and squeeze.' So I did, and all I heard was a click-it didn't fire.

"I said so, and started to open the breech. He slapped my hand away, took the rifle from me with his other hand-then clouted me a good one. 'What did I tell you about hangfires, Woodie? Are you aching to walk around with one eye the rest of your life? Or merely trying to kill yourself? If the latter, I can show you several better ways.'

"Then he said, 'Now watch closely'-and he opened the breech. Empty. So I said, 'But, Gramp, you told me it was loaded.' Shucks, Ira, I saw him load. it-I thought.

"'So I did, Woodie,' he agreed. 'And I lied to you. I went through the motions and palmed the cartridge. Now what did I tell you about loaded guns? Think hard and get it right...or I'll be forced to clout you again to shake up your brains and make 'em work better.'

"I thought fast and got it right; Gramp had a heavy hand. 'Never take anybody's word about whether a gun is loaded.'

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Very Wise words to LIVE by.

[Doc Windshadow]

Was not one of Billy the kid's victims killed when the kid, when inspecting the gun of the impending opponent, removed the cartridge next in line to be fired or repositioned the empty cylinder chamber so it would be the next in line when the gun was next cocked?

[Utah Bob #35998]

Was not one of Billy the kid's victims killed when the kid, when inspecting the gun of the impending opponent, removed the cartridge next in line to be fired or repositioned the empty cylinder chamber so it would be the next in line when the gun was next cocked?

 

That is the story.