Rondy Knee Shot

“Things go the way the mind goes.”   -Shunryu Suzuki

Rondy Neill was my dearest friend. We first met in 8th grade, and, from that day forward, we spent every possible moment together.

Vicky H., Michele E., BE and Rondy, at the entrance to Glenn Helen Park, in Ohio.

We were 19, and I was just getting into guns. The rule: “never point a gun at anything you don’t want to destroy,” was not firmly embedded, yet.

I racked a round in the chamber of my new Colt 1911, 45 ACP, and was beginning to lower the hammer when Rondy said: “Don’t point that thing at my knee.” I remember thinking that was indeed silly. So I pointed the muzzle toward the wall, and slowly lowered the hammer. 

After an almost imperceptible delay, the pistol fired. You might imagine the look on our faces as we looked at each other in shock and disbelief. 

On the “imperceptible delay”… The pistol did not fire when the hammer touched the firing pin. I remember the internal sigh of relief that follows lowering the hammer on a live round. Then BANG! 

I’m happy that moment ended well, and so was Rondy.

While shooting and in living, do not become distracted.

I’m out of topics on pistol shooting. I do have two topics on shotgun shooting, which I should have ready in a couple weeks. If you have any suggestions for shooting topics that have not been covered, email me at brian@brianenos.com.

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Comments are welcome, and all questions will be answered.

I’ll post a new topic each Friday afternoon, in one of two categories. One will be on shooting, and the other will be on living. Or: how I learned to live from what I learned by competing.

Thanks for coming in.