Early Risers Coffee Shop ® (  

Go Back   Early Risers Coffee Shop ® ("Where Friends enjoy Friends") > Firearms > Long Guns > Shotguns

Shotguns Place to Discuss Shotguns

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 02-16-2009, 02:37 PM   #1
Teddybear
Extraordinary Member
 
Teddybear's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: FEMA REGION V
Age: 71
Posts: 17,233
Default Someday came today--

I lost a good friend and squirrel hunting buddy this past September 12 at the age of 87. Bill was a kinda of gruff ole boy, WW2 vet who fought in the south pacific, the kind of guy that would give you $50 before he would loan you $5. He loved to squirrel hunt, and used an old 97 Winchester handed down to him by his dad. I was always after him to sell me the ole Winchester, and he would just reply " oh maybe someday". During his last years, old age and emphysema had taken it's toll, and Bill couldn't walk a far as he use to, he found an old stump in the squirrel woods to sit on, and I would find him there at the end of the hunt, sitting on that stump, with the ole Winchester laying across his lap, and a couple or 3 squirrels laying on the ground by his feet. The last memory I have of Bill was him setting on that ole stump, sihlouetted against a setting sun, with that ole Winchester laying across his lap.

Well today Bills widow, Virginia called me and said she would like to see me if I had a few minutes, so I went over, and as I walked in there sat Ms. Jenny and her 3 girls all sittting around the kitchen table with Bill's old Winchester. Ms .Jenny said we have something for you we think you would like. For all the times you helped Bill mow the grass, scooped snow for us, and for taking us to the store, and all the trips to the VA for Bill's doctors appointments, and those hunting trips he held so dear, and just for being a special friend to us both, we would like for you to have Bill's old shotgun. To say the least, I was completely speachless, and could not hold my emotions. After Ms. Jenny handed me Bill's old Winchester, my mind went back to that late afternoon on Sept. 2, 2008 and Bill sitting on that stump.......................Thank you my friend for the memories.

(sorry if this is kinda long, I just had to share)
Teddybear is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2009, 05:35 PM   #2
Calvin Wiles
The Old Fart Janitor
 
Calvin Wiles's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Panama, Oklahoma
Age: 82
Posts: 12,957
Default

Teddybear, thanks for sharing! That brought a tear in the eye. That is what life is all about. Too bad a lot of people never experience it.
__________________
"The answer to all our problems is in God's Word, if we just search for it".
"No God no Peace, Know God know Peace".
"We control our own destiny".
Calvin Wiles is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2009, 06:39 PM   #3
tonyex
Senior Member
 
tonyex's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: S.E. Ohio
Age: 81
Posts: 277
Send a message via Yahoo to tonyex
Default

Teddybear, I'm sorry to hear about you losing your friend. I lost a close friend at Christmas time. No matter how many times I experience a loss or hear of one, that same hurting lump in my throat always returns.
Tony
__________________
"Don't ever give up."
"In God We Trust"
tonyex is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2009, 07:09 PM   #4
kansas45
Moderator
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Southern Kansas
Age: 70
Posts: 27,520
Default

It's hard to loose such a good friend Teddybear. I'm sorry for your loss. You may never shoot that old Winchester, but you will always look at it & hold in your hands & remember your good friend Bill.
I lost my good friend Bill a few years back. We hunted & fished & played golf & chased girls together for 35 years. Not too many days go by that I see something or hear somebody say something that brings Bills memory back.
GOD Bless You.
__________________
Never take a squat with your spurs on.

Will Rogers
kansas45 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-17-2009, 08:00 AM   #5
panther
Extraordinary Member
 
panther's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: S.W. Missouri
Age: 69
Posts: 5,588
Default

That's quite a story and it brought a tear to me as well. I've had some really good friends over the years, but with job changes, moving, etc, I've lost contact with most of them. I didn't hear from any of them this Christmas.
Hang on to that old shotgun. Pass it, and the story behind it, to your family. It's not just the shotgun, but the value of a friendship that is worth remembering.
panther is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-17-2009, 09:29 AM   #6
rman
Extraordinary Member
 
rman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Northeast Kansas
Age: 80
Posts: 64,188
Default

Teddy bear - I can relate to your loss. I lost my brother-in-law, best friend and hunting buddy in March 2006. Life hasn't been the same since. You are a very lucky man to have a momento of his friendship, especially one that must have meant a lot to him. I'm guessing he would want you to use it, not just let it sit in the gun cabinet. I'm sincerely sorry for your loss.
__________________
I'm old enough to remember when mentally ill people were placed in hospitals, not in Congress or the White House.
rman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-18-2009, 06:15 AM   #7
Calvin Wiles
The Old Fart Janitor
 
Calvin Wiles's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Panama, Oklahoma
Age: 82
Posts: 12,957
Default

Teddybear, I have my Mother's gun that an Uncle won on a Punch Board for .50 cents, and gave her. She carried it fishing to shoot snakes with when I was a small kid. When she got old, and in bad health, she was going to sell it to pay a Hospital bill. I bought the gun, and wouldn't sell it, because of the memories of her, that I associate with the gun. My Grandson is always bugging me wanting to shoot it because it is the only one that he has seen, and none of his friends have shot one, so that gives him bragging rights. Enjoy the gun, and the memories associated with it, that is what he would have wanted you to do.
__________________
"The answer to all our problems is in God's Word, if we just search for it".
"No God no Peace, Know God know Peace".
"We control our own destiny".
Calvin Wiles is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-18-2009, 02:27 PM   #8
Teddybear
Extraordinary Member
 
Teddybear's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: FEMA REGION V
Age: 71
Posts: 17,233
Default

You are right Calvin, I will always cherish the old 97 and the memories associated with it. I have been thinking of Bill every since Ms. Jenny and the girls presented me with it. I told my wife that I could never shoot it, but she said "If I know Bill he would want you to have that old shotgun with you on your next squirrel hunt". You know, I thought about that, and I think she's right, Bill would want that.
Teddybear is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-25-2021, 09:51 AM   #9
Teddybear
Extraordinary Member
 
Teddybear's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: FEMA REGION V
Age: 71
Posts: 17,233
Smile

Took "Bill" out yesterday with a few buddies of mine and shot 2 rounds of trap. "He" shot a 21 and a 20. It was the first time I have shot it since it was presented to me. It was good to take an old friend out for a field trip.
Teddybear is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-25-2021, 11:31 AM   #10
rman
Extraordinary Member
 
rman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Northeast Kansas
Age: 80
Posts: 64,188
Default

That's great Teddy. I'll bet Bill was smiling down at you, seeing you shooting his favorite old Winchester. I'm glad you got to try it out.
__________________
I'm old enough to remember when mentally ill people were placed in hospitals, not in Congress or the White House.
rman is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
From USA Today Teddybear Coffee Shop 6 03-14-2012 06:56 AM
I had some fun at Target today J_B Coffee Shop 7 09-23-2011 07:27 AM
New today!!!!! MMCSRET New Members 13 06-07-2011 01:15 PM
After today - no more! Vetter Jokes 2006-2017 15 10-25-2010 06:18 AM
Where I'd like to be today rman Gallery 14 03-10-2009 06:42 PM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:06 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Early Risers Coffee Shop ® Registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office