And therein is the key.

Years ago we were visiting with Patrick.........during duck season in MN.  He says "I need to take some handicapped guys duckhunting tomorrow morning-------how about going along and sitting in one of the blinds and helping one of the gunners?

Of course........why not........sounded like the "community thing" to do.

(Remember that Patrick is himself a paraplegic------- no use of anything below his waist........but, because he had two rather sizeable athletic brothers, and "back in the day" I could hold my own with most........he was/is deemed to be an experienced hunter..........turkeys, pheasants, ducks,-------- the boys still have pictures of me sleeping against a tree at sunup after packing Patrick in on my back to reduce the turkey population.)

So, I am sitting in the blind with "Charlie Brown".......just the two of us..........who is pretty much a quadriplegic, but has some very limited use of his arms........and Charlie is using a 12ga auto, with long range lead, since the quality of the calling was limited in the group.

Of course......Patrick had given me no instructions, other than his comment that his lab would retrieve anything shot................ leaving me wondering who was going to do the shooting?

So........I get to know Charlie......who is a seriously intelligent guy, a computer guru who does his work on them using breathing tubes, etc............ but it is beyond my imagination as to how any duck is going to be turned into table meat..........because the deal was that I was to do no shooting...........it was Charlie's event........totally.

And I kept looking at that 12ga auto------wondering how many times it would go off if it were accidentally dropped, etc......and how small that blind was...........and thinking about the money that I owed, and not having enough life insurance at that time to handle everything............. all in all, it was a very introspective experience.

And then in the distance, I see one lone duck acting like he wanted to land...........and Charlie saw it also.........and started shifting that boom-boom..........and I could feel my package going up to my throat......... there was just not enough armor plate between us..........

People talk about "spiritual events"-------- and if I am ever going to be allowed to have one----------that next few minutes had to rank right up there.

That auto was resting on the window sill of the blind...........and the duck flew closer........and Charlie decided to let loose..........twice.

I swear I could see lead shot passing that duck .........oh, ......about 50 yards to the side.

I decided that if anything was going to happen, I had to do something heroic.......so I reached over, and held that barrel to what looked like a straight line to the duck.........who, at this time apparently received word from the Big Guy that it was the duck's turn to sacrifice himself to give Charlie a good day...........and who landed about 50 yards in front of the blind.

Between me steadying the barrel, and Charlie being able to get off two quick shots..........that duck was Arkansawed.............and the lab was sent to retrieve.

Charlie had a good day...........and that was the objective.

I of course did not refuse the rather stiff adult beverages that Patrick offered when we got home................and frankly, I have pretty much lost count of how many there were.