I Tried To Buy A Gun

Yes, one time I went to a sporting goods store and tried to buy a gun.  I was at a point in my life that I needed some extra protection.  I was scared.

A few days before my trip to the sporting goods store, I was sitting in my apartment alone just minding my own business when all of a sudden some thugs (or teenagers) starting kicking my door, trying to break in.  There were 4 or 5 of them as I recall.  I could see daylight through the door.  I quickly called 911 but then thought, "Is this an emergency?"  So I hung up.  I dialed again and hung up.  The group had left by then and were going down the street.  The 911 operator called me back.  I told her what had happened.  She told me to call the police.  I told her I didn't know the police number and didn't have a phone book, so could she give me the number.  She said, "No.  Call information.  And only call 911 if they are IN your house."

I got the police phone number and wrote it down for future reference.  Then I started planning what I would do.  I knew that if a group of thugs actually got in my apartment that it would be too late to call 911.  I would either be beaten up or raped or killed.  So if I had a gun it would at least deter them.  I wouldn't want to shoot anyone, but if someone was coming at me after they kicked down my door, I would at least shoot them and try not to kill.  But if I killed them then I thought it would be justified.

I was a single young lady.  I worked for the church next to the apartment building.  I was the Youth Director.  So I often would have youth in my apartment.  I thought that it probably isn't a great idea to have a gun in the apartment with a bunch of youth around.  So maybe a knife would be better.  I made sure my knives were easily accessible for future confrontations with thugs.  Then I decided that I would rather have a gun, so I went to the store.

I looked at the guns in the glass case at the sporting goods store and saw the price tags.  I was hoping for something a bit cheaper.  Then I saw my weapon of choice... a fog horn.  You know the kind that boaters are suppose to carry with them in case of an emergency.  It was in my price range, so I bought it.  I took it home and kept it close to the door of my apartment so that if the thugs returned, I would blow the fog horn and let them know that someone was inside.  It would also get the attention of neighbors.

The other thing that I did was tell people about my talk with the 911 operator.  A man at the church thought it was pretty ridiculous and he called to complain for me.  So I hope that if someone else calls to say people are kicking in their door that they will send help right away and not wait for the thugs to get IN the house.  And some friends installed a dead bolt lock.  Just for some more protection.

I never had to use my fog horn, but I was ready.