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Not all elders deserve respect
Feb. 25th, 2012 06:50 pmWent to practice for tomorrow's monthly match. I shot well despite the curmudgeon next to me. It was crowded, all 14 sections in the pistol range were full.
And getting pelted with spent shells is expected and normal. It's like the crying babies on a flight of the gun world. No amount of lube or no trick can adjust brass getting spit out. That said, there was an older man with a humpback and cane shooting next to me. and we were over five feet apart. He complained that my brass was hitting him. I apologized and said there was nothing that could be done. I would hold off on firing when he had his gun aimed so as not to disturb him when firing and I tried squeezing the trigger more gently in case my muscle was making those shells fly like popcorn. But he bitched and got real mouthy with me and Dad, ("Get a shield! Y'ever hear of one of those?" "You're spoiling my good time!") I ignored him like a bastard student, but the old man started pelting my brass back at me. I got hit on my left forearm while shooting.
Quasimodo left shortly after. Yeah, I am a bastard for calling him that, but I refuse to show him sympathy or compassion for acting like an immature brat. I wouldn't go so far as to shoot the legs of his target to splinters so that it would collapse on him when he touched it or I wouldn't slice his eyes out with that SWAT tactical knife in my pocket, but I just ignored him. He had me by the short hairs-- if I yelled or hurt him, them I'm the asshole and bully for picking on a hunchbacked old man with a cane. But his age and disability didn't excuse his behavior. He's the exception to the rule about protecting the weak and infirm and respecting elders. I won't hurt him, but I'm not acknowledging him either. Passive aggressive, but what can I do?
I spoke to the range patrol about Quasimodo. Rob said that if the old man raised hell, the brass hitting him was not a legit excuse. I'm not doing anything wrong. Dad talked about building a net to keep brass from hitting other patrons. But no one else uses a net or shield. I've been shooting at that range for eight years and this old man and one other guy I shoot with in competition are the only ones that have complained about getting hit with shells. But I really got disgusted with Quasimodo's behavior. Especially tossing the brass at me. I'd expect that from a kid, a teen, even someone in their early twenties. But not from an elder.
And somewhere out there, this guy's bitching about a teenager with no consideration who ruined his and his wife or daughter's afternoon outing at the gun range because she lets her brass fly willy nilly.
And getting pelted with spent shells is expected and normal. It's like the crying babies on a flight of the gun world. No amount of lube or no trick can adjust brass getting spit out. That said, there was an older man with a humpback and cane shooting next to me. and we were over five feet apart. He complained that my brass was hitting him. I apologized and said there was nothing that could be done. I would hold off on firing when he had his gun aimed so as not to disturb him when firing and I tried squeezing the trigger more gently in case my muscle was making those shells fly like popcorn. But he bitched and got real mouthy with me and Dad, ("Get a shield! Y'ever hear of one of those?" "You're spoiling my good time!") I ignored him like a bastard student, but the old man started pelting my brass back at me. I got hit on my left forearm while shooting.
Quasimodo left shortly after. Yeah, I am a bastard for calling him that, but I refuse to show him sympathy or compassion for acting like an immature brat. I wouldn't go so far as to shoot the legs of his target to splinters so that it would collapse on him when he touched it or I wouldn't slice his eyes out with that SWAT tactical knife in my pocket, but I just ignored him. He had me by the short hairs-- if I yelled or hurt him, them I'm the asshole and bully for picking on a hunchbacked old man with a cane. But his age and disability didn't excuse his behavior. He's the exception to the rule about protecting the weak and infirm and respecting elders. I won't hurt him, but I'm not acknowledging him either. Passive aggressive, but what can I do?
I spoke to the range patrol about Quasimodo. Rob said that if the old man raised hell, the brass hitting him was not a legit excuse. I'm not doing anything wrong. Dad talked about building a net to keep brass from hitting other patrons. But no one else uses a net or shield. I've been shooting at that range for eight years and this old man and one other guy I shoot with in competition are the only ones that have complained about getting hit with shells. But I really got disgusted with Quasimodo's behavior. Especially tossing the brass at me. I'd expect that from a kid, a teen, even someone in their early twenties. But not from an elder.
And somewhere out there, this guy's bitching about a teenager with no consideration who ruined his and his wife or daughter's afternoon outing at the gun range because she lets her brass fly willy nilly.
