When my older brother and I were very young, about 8 and 9 respectively, my grandfather gave us guns for Christmas.
They weren't real guns, they were toy shotguns. By pumping an arm on the gun, we could compress air in a chamber that then released a loud ‘puff’ of air from the barrel when fired.
The guns came with targets, stand-up images of wild animals. My favorite was the largest target of a tiger that had a plastic image cut into strips that hung from a small frame. When you ‘shot’ it, the air from the gun would make the tiger disappear until the strips settled back – waiting for the next shot.
My brother and I played for many hours with those guns and targets and anything else we could find to shoot –including neighborhood cats, and dogs. As we grew, both of us turned to hunting different game.
My brother is an avid deer and turkey hunter. I am always hunting for the next story to tell.
That is an awesome opening line. The "guns" reminds me of my favorite holiday movie, A Christmas Story. "You'll shoot your eye out!"
ReplyDeleteI like your kind of hunting much better. Although I do like to eat me a well prepared turkey, so who am i to say?
ReplyDeleteI remember those guns, although I must have borrowed my brother's. I can't imagine my mother having bought me one.
I find it very unsettling to see my children play with guns. I disallowed them when they were younger and we've had a great deal of dialogue about them. We do live in a heavy hunting area and a place where guns are necessary around wild animals...for some. Bears and wolves and coyotes and sometimes even fox. But we are not in need of guns, living in town. But last night they fashioned themselves the most ludicrous of toys, action figures from little bits of tinfoil and I sat quietly watching them arm themselves with various kinds of guns and special superhero skills and blast the snot out of each other. I had chills, but it was a curious thing. I let them, wondering where it would all go.
xo
erin
Dena - thank you. as they say, even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then.
ReplyDeleteErin - holidays seemed to be traps for emotions - especially for the uncomfortable ones. i wish you peace this year, and may it's coming surprise you!
I don't believe 'war play' is dangerous at all for children. i'm sure Jung said something wise on the subject...