The gun was supposed to be empty, but it wasn't.
Time seemed to slow down. I was in one corner of the living room standing behind my brother and uncle. My dad was standing in front of them by the door when an explosion rattled the windows.
The room filled with smoke, and it smelled of gunpowder.
Everyone's ears were ringing. When the smoke settled down, I saw a hole in the wall the size of a baseball just inches from my dad's right ear.
If he flinched, I didn't see it. He reached for the gun and said in a calm voice, "We need to figure out how to use the safety on this gun."
That's the way he was. If he got mad or excited, he somehow pushed it deep inside and never let it show.
My dad died of complications from cancer 27 years ago this May. It's an eternity and a blink of an eye. Rarely does a day go by that I don't think of him.
Happy Father's Day
WOW... you're dad was calmer than I would have been... amazing though:-)
ReplyDeleteI think my dad was a lot like yours must have been. The only time I remember him yelling was once, when he was teaching me how to drive--& I think that was out of fear!!
ReplyDeleteLucky no one was hurt. Memories... yep! seems like yesterday. Those long gone almost forgotten times. You can laugh at them now! I bet your mother was mad at your dad that day! lol
ReplyDeleteMy dad never hunted. I heard a story about a gun going off and almost hitting my dad's best friend. I always supposed that dad must have had the gun, but was never told that.
ReplyDeleteWell just stopping by to say Happy Father's Day tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteHe sounds like he was a wonderful man.
ReplyDeleteI mean what was the point to say anything? He knew it was an accident. lol
I call that nerves of steel... having a gun blast nearly decapitate his head and still keeping his cool and I bet that he also fixed the big hole in the wall. We need more dads like that.
ReplyDeleteHappy Father's Day Rick.
JB
Happy Father's Day Rick, you were lucky to have a great dad!
ReplyDeleteWhat a guy.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Now that was one cool headed guy :-)
ReplyDeleteWow Sarah, I haven't heard from you in some time. How are you?
DeleteI'm good thanks. Hoping to be able to stick around for a while :-)
DeleteWhat a beautiful tribute to your father Rick. He sounds much calmer than my father lol
ReplyDeleteLOved the story, he sounded like a great dad!
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice tribute and what a great guy..I love the photo too! I think of my Dad everyday too and miss him and his great advice and help when I needed it! You were lucky to have a great guy like that for a Dad. I know you don't have kiddos, but you seem to have nieces and nephews that love you and think of you in the way you think of your Dad. Hope you had a great day today!
ReplyDelete