In my professional life, I head up the real estate department for a regional retailer; and in the process of finalizing a deal in New Braunfels, TX today, wished the individual I was working with there in market a great Labor Day weekend. He thanked me and said it would be a big event for his family, as it was time for the annual family dove shoot on their ranch. The mention of dove shooting immediately peeked my interest, so I then asked what he would be shooting; hoping, of course, that he'd shock me by telling me he'd be shooting an old Syracuse Arms gun. Instead he responded that he'd be shooting a twenty gauge, but not a twenty gauge whatever; so I pressed and asked if it was pump, semi-auto, side x side, OU, etc.? Imagine my surprise when he responded that he'd be shooting one of a matched pair of cased Purdy over/unders, and his wife would be shooting the other. So we started talking shotguns, and to summarize the story on this matched pair; seems he's been married to this lady for little over a year, that his father in law had owned this gun many years; and given him the gun as a wedding gift. It has supposedly never been fired, having languished in it's leather case since new. Based on his description of the family ranch, which his father in law stocked years ago with exoitc African animals (and has deeded to him and his wife!). I suppose I'm sharing this story, because I'm wishing we could all have married so well; and also because I've not yet won the lottery either. At any rate I was invited to the family dove shoot during the conversation, and the Good Lord above knows how much I would really, really have liked to attend; but alas, I won't be that fortuante either.......maybe someday?
