“The regulations” Part 2 John’s
John lives at the end of our street for half the year; the other half is in Idaho. He is the best independent gunsmith I know. I have learned more handling his immense collection, full of good working Winchesters and British boxlocks.. than from just about anyone. My current gun is from him. He’s taught me more than any other gunsmith I’ve ever met, though he would probably deny it. I am sitting around feeling rather malcontent and I say to the woman who is cleaning- (private contract) that I am going to John’s.
John, keeps a formidable inventory of Winchesters and other classics- he has probably taught re me HOW GUNS WORK more than anyone.. He operates out of a corrugated steel building where his guns rare.
We were waving around a couple of English twelves when there was a shout from outside. Two very young cops came to the door, one a state trooper looked about 14; the other, a town cop, scarcely older. With, God help me, their hands very near their holsters. The state te . of us is Stephen Bodio. I answer: “That’d be me”. He says ‘We got a call that you were suicidal, armed AND MIGHT SHOOT BACK!’
I sigh- this is fixable. Putting down the 12 gauge I say “I have Parkinsons but I never felt suicidal in my life. The woman I love is coming back in a week, I have good work to do, and I am a Catholic and a Buddhist, and neither believes in suicide. Besides, I don’t want to shame a pretty gun. I’ve had guns for 60 plus years and I ain’t shot myself yet.’
“Yeah, he always thinks he will find an affordable Purdey next week” said John.
Yes, they believed me, and I suspect thought I would fight them legally.
But what is this “red zone” thing, when they take away your gun ‘for your own good’? Isn’t it incredibly prone to abuse? Surely, he said cruelly “Is it is better to lose your liberty ?” And the same goes for dogs and hawks- if they can take them, they will. Makes things neater.
PS Yes, it was the girl. When I got back at first she wouldn’t let me in my house! When I started banging on the door with my cane she relented, saying “I thought you would be in jail! ” When I told her she KNEW I wasn’t suicidal, she said “You were talking about it the other night.” Me: “Yeah… to reject it.” Her: “Talking about it at all is a sign.”
Sigh…
Was she planning to clean up your house while you were busy with the law? Sorry if I come across as a cynical middle aged man, but hey!
Cannot say much about the ‘red zone’ laws, but I assume they are a ‘one size fit some’ approach.
Nice to see you writing!
Who ARE these people.
You do have a good lawyer don’t you?
Fire her.
The cleaning lady, to say the least, should no longer be in your employ.
I qualify as a cranky old( 80 +) man. Lawyer, Marine, hunter, still working . I fail to see how trying to invoke a questionable law by making a judgement call you are unqualified to make and then locking , in this case you, out of your own house makes any sense to anybody who has a brain that functions.
She is gone, to another town, still spouting nonsense. An easy way do it!