These were the words spoken by Clint Eastwood’s character Harry Callahan in the movie “Sudden Impact” and while I don’t plan on being that dramatic, I do have a new gun, and I’m not afraid to use it.
For some reason, my co-workers seem to be a little nervous. I don’t know why, because unless they are planning to kill me, my reasons for purchasing a new gun was for self-defense. You see, I had a gun and I really loved it, a Winchester .22 rifle, but it just wasn’t practical for self defense. So I set out to trade that gun in for one that I could use for protection.
Protection, you ask? Do I feel threatened? Nope. Absolutely not. I got the gun because I want to be able to stop anyone who breaks into my home.
I bought my new little Ruger LCP 380 with the idea that it’s small enough to fit into my purse, should I get my concealed carry permit one day. I’m not going to take the class right now simply from a economic standpoint. I just shelled out the money for the gun, so maybe sometime down the road I will take the class, which costs $60. It costs another $90 for the concealed carry permit that includes a background check and $20 for a mental health check. I got a little chuckle with that. I wonder how many people think I’m going to flunk that one?
While I was at the gun shop, Rabbit Ridge, I mentioned to the owner, Merlin Scales, that I had never shot skeet before. So Monday, I got the opportunity to shoot my first skeet. I did pretty well I think. I got my first clay on the fourth try. I have to say thank you to Tina Swaim, who works at the shop and is a certified NRA instructor, who helped me pick out the right gun for me and showed me the proper way to skeet shoot.
A long, long time ago, back when I was married, I lived in the country and had the opportunity to target practice quite a bit and now I’m grateful for the experience that gave me. I feel comfortable handling a gun and I’m a pretty good shot if I do say so myself. My ex-husband, Paul, came up with a great way to make shooting entirely more interesting than shooting pop cans. He found a really ugly stuffed animal at a yard sale once and had the great idea of using it for target practice.
His motto was, “the uglier the better.” We’d shoot those things until the eyeballs popped off. After we had shot them up beyond recognition, he’d finish them off with a shotgun. I actually have some great photographs of the stuffing blowing out of the things. I have to admit that was creative target practice at it’s best.
For all of you who are freaked out by guns, just remember that under the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution, I have the right to own one. And even if all guns were banned, the criminals will still have them. I am not a danger to myself or anyone else, unless someone attempts to take my life. And while I hope that is never the case, at least I will have a fighting chance to defend myself.
Mondee Tilley is a staff reporter at The Mount Airy News. She can be reached at mtilley@mtairynews.com or at 719-1930.
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