I think the scope is too close.....bang...ouch!

So, we went to dinner with some friends Saturday night. Ken has a house near Grand Lake. It was beautiful and the view was breathtaking! Ken is a great guy...he's even an Eagle Scout! And he has "cool" toys, like a tractor, a zip-line, a hot tub (those are all the kids' favorites) and he has guns...REAL guns...a Colt 45, a bear gun (whatever that is) and a 22. Don't worry....he uses all the safety precautions and it was a great place to allow the kids to experience shooting. So, Rich decides he'll take his try with the 22. It even has a scope...cool! Rich lines up his target, begins to pull the trigger, then thinks "my head is too close to the scope" as the gun fires, the scope "kicks" and leaves a nice gash in Rich's forehead. Ken, being the Eagle Scout, doesn't panic and offers to stitch him up - he has a suture kit he's been dying to try. John is all for it, of course. But Rich doesn't think stitches are necessary. He'll have a lovely scar.

I mentioned the zip-line. It's very cool, too! It starts about 35 feet from the ground and runs for about 75 yards (maybe). John gets harnessed up and climbs up only to climb back down. "It's really high, Mom." Anne gets harnessed up, climbs up and immediately back down. William gets harnessed up, climbs up and GOES FOR IT! Rich catches the rope to slow him down at the end, and all is good. John then determines to not be shown up by his 6 year old little brother. He gets harnessed up, climbs up, is coaxed by all of us to do it (keep in the mind the sun has now pretty much set and it's pretty dark). He finally goes for it, but...because it's dark, Rich can't see the rope to help him slow down at the end...BUT there are pillows attached to the tree to cushion an encounter (based on a previous experience by an 8 year old). I'm listening to the sound of the zip waiting for the cushion sound or just a slow down in speed. I don't hear any of that. Instead I hear the constant speed, a thud, then a cry. Poor John had just performed a scene from "George of the Jungle" but NOT on purpose! And he missed the pillows. They were too low! OUCH! Fortunately there was no blood involved or broken body parts.

I would love to be a fly on the wall Monday morning at the staff meeting because Ken is doing some consultant work at SCFM. Can't you just hear all the jokes?