Lets Share a Memory

Junebugg has a neat post up. I_was_once_a_scientist. In true Junebugg form its a hoot. She recalls a cherished Christmas gift from childhood. She ask that others recall a cherished present not a bike and talk about it. I was trying to recall which gift I cherished the most.

When I was about 6 or 7 I got a Red Rider cork gun and extra corks. This was in leiu of a b.b. gun my parents were very wise. Thus began my life long love of a great built rifle.
That gun eventually disappeared. I suspect that mom did away with it. I was quite good at shooting, in my mind at least. My, one granny insisted on me using a target. The rest of the ladies in the family were shocked that I had a rifle for Christmas. That was something a little girl should never recieve.

However after losing corks I figured out that other objects worked quite well such as sharpened sticks or buttons. By today's standards I would probably have been the youngest kid in juvie hall.
The new ammo worked quite well in making cats jump, dogs run and birds shy away. When the neighbors pets saw me wonder out of the house they fled.
I carried that rifle with me everywhere for months. My younger brothers figured out quickly that I would shoot to hurt if I felt threatened. Of course having younger brothers is a whole other story.
Now whats your story? Come on lets hear it.