No ≠ Cannot

For Xan’s 17th birthday, we made a quick trip to Blue Ridge, Georgia

One of our adventures was a fourteen station sporting clays course

The entire course, packed with gentlemen at every station, would ask if I wanted to “take a shot”. They would gently remind me that no one out there was a professional, and it didn’t matter that I wouldn’t hit the clay, it was just for the fun of shooting the big gun

I thanked them all for their offers, and let them know that I preferred to observe from the golf cart

At the last station, the “ask” had become irritating. Unfortunately, I caved to the peer pressure. I promised to take ONE SHOT, if they would leave me alone afterwards

The guys agreed, and even offered to go first so I could watch them, and “learn the ropes”

Guy #1 stepped up…

First pull – miss
Second pull- miss
On, and on until finally, the sixth pull – miss

Guy #2 stepped up…
First pull – miss
Second pull- miss
On, and on until finally, the twelfth pull – miss

My turn. Kindly, they even loaded the gun for me

I stepped up…

First pull – hit

LESSON #1: Had they just been curious…
– they would have learned this was not my first time shooting [nor my thousandth]
– they would have learned I was Papa Mike’s only ‘son’, and was a Tom-Boy from day one
– they would have learned that I grew up shooting on the Mighty Mississippi’s river banks

LESSON #2: Just because a woman says she does not want to, does not mean that she cannot

•Noontootla Creek Farms | Sporting Clays Course•