|
Not a gun store, but my story goes back to 1989, checking in at Akron-Canton airport in my way to Ketchikan Alaska. I check in my luggage and declare two firearms. They were required to physically check them. First I open the pistol case, and the poor lady obviously had no knowledge of arms whatsoever. She picks up my Ruger Redhawk, points it at her face and starts looking in the barrel to see if its loaded. In subdued and calm, yet near panic, I quickly grab the gun from her, and calmly say, "here, let me help you with that" and I flip open the cylinder and show her where cartridges would be if there were any. I open the rifle case, my rifle has the bolt removed, and I point to the empty box magazine in the gun. I was polite, calm, and smiling on the outside, but on the inside, I was shocked that she would be required to do this, with no training or procedure to defer to another employee with training.
In contast, while checking in at Ketchikan for the return trip, the lady opens the pistol case, flips open the Redhawk, spins the cylinder, slaps it shut and back in the case. She opens the rife case, and says "Model 70. Nice! The bolt needs to be removed." (The bolt was in, but open.) Then she reaches in, unlocks the bolt, pops it out, and sets it in the case beside the rifle, and closes it.
Cultural difference? Sarah Palin always reminds me of that flight attendant checking me in at Ketchikan and the difference in firearms knowledge and familiarity with Akaskan women. There was time when most of America was that way.
|