Disappointment

Three years ago I posted about taking some of the SandCastle Queen's father's guns into protective custody after she found them stored in an outdoor shed.

We made it clear these are still his guns, we are merely providing secure storage and taking some protective measures.  We were hoping in time we'd be given the guns but today the other shoe dropped.

Her eldest brother is in town this week.  Her father called today saying "give him the .22".  To say she is disappointed is a vast understatement.    Me too.  But it's her dad's gun and he can do what he wants with it.

She is concerned he will pass it on to his son who will likely sell it.  Her brother once had a nice collection but the then wife, now ex, convinced him to "get those things out of the house."  No doubt she has passed those same hoplophobic attitudes on to her son (see also "The Wall" by Pink Floyd).

Just to illustrate how brainwashed these kids are, I offered to take them flying to see the area.  Mom refused - apparently her father was killed in a plane crash.  The kids initially wanted to go but the morning of the flight, the younger son freaked out just heading up the steps to get into the plane.  The elder daughter got in and strapped in  but did the same freakout before we'd taxied the 100 yards.  Mom had clearly done a number on those kids. 

We made it clear there is a standing offer to buy the gun just to keep it in the family.  I really hate that scene in the pawn shows where some young guy walks in to sell grandpa's rifle and ends up walking out with a fraction of it's actual value.

Disappointment.  It's what's for dinner.

Talk about a tragic failure...

... of the victim selection process.  More here.

Here's the scenario... ChoirBoy enters a home not his own 3am-ish, wakes the residents with a gun to the head.  Presumably giving the "don't move or you're dead" message delivered with considerably more vulgarity & volume.

Unfortunately the intended victim is a UFC fighter and is immediately waaaay inside said choir boy's OODA loop.  He's likely practiced the scenario a hundred times before.  Choir boy quickly finds himself disarmed and in a headlock waiting for police to arrive.

Nicely done.  From a societal prospective, I'd rather the good guy had removed the ChoirBoy from the gene pool and would thus be ineligible to repeat this crime.  However taking any life places the taker in a very uncomfortable legal place.  He seems to have used very measured force against a superiorly armed foe and came out on top.  Good on ya, Well done.


Apparently ChoirBoy entered through an unlocked door.   While I don't have the resident's chops, I can at least verify 1st line security.  I check every door I walk by and constantly encourage the SCCrew to lock every door they enter.

Some of my troubles just drove away...

I sold my truck today.  It was 25 years old, 187k miles and lots of problems. The AC quit last summer  (I think it blew a seal), it failed smog and probably needs a new engine.  The front drive axles probably need to be replaced.  It was also a couple months past due on the registration.  I've swapped engines and stuff in the past but I don't have time for those kinds of projects these days.  I just wanted it gone.

We didn't use it much but there are times you just need a truck.  A lot of things just don't fit into the Miata.  Also I've found a spare car is the height of luxury.  Meaning if I was working on my car and needed a part, or that I had options for getting to work tomorrow.  As much as we used it, it will probably be cheaper to rent the local HD truck at $20/hr than to maintain the spare vehicle.


I decided as the month started it would be gone by the end of the month one way or another.  Even if "another" meant donating it to charity.  We finally got a for sale sign on it middle of this week and a guy stopped by today.

We settled a little below my bottom line but all those troubles are now SEP (Somebody Else's Problems).   And that has a value all it's own.

The SCSon also got a lesson in free market economics.  He was upset the guy was getting it for less than my bottom line.  But I explained this is how the free market works.  We negotiated and agreed on a price.  No one had a gun to his head.  I wanted his cash more than I wanted the truck and all it's problems in my driveway.  He wanted my truck more than he wanted the cash in his pocket.

And I now have some spare BAG day funds.  I'm not really in the market for anything in particular.  Perhaps we'll just invest it in some precious metals.