Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Gun Accidents and Guilt

My grandfather Irving Kendall loved to hunt and fish. While hunting with another youing man in Nevada, my grandfather was accidentially shot in the foot by his hunting companion. My grandfather's friend left Irving on the mountain and returned to Winnemucca.

My grandfather crawled several miles before finding help. By the time he reached a surgeon gangrene was already starting to set in, but thanks to a German Doctor who took great care of my grandfather, his foot was saved. One would not want to image the guilt one feels when these type of accidents occur.

Many years later, three or four days after my grandfather died, while emptying one of his shotguns I shot and killed the door to Irving's padded cell (a room were he kept his guns and money locked up, and where he had the only key). When the shotgun went off I turned white. I could not move. I was simply terrified. I may have only killed a door but the image that sticks in my mind still makes me cringe today.

I pray that the vice president and Harry Whittington both recover soon.

This just in. As I was re-checking Mr. Whitingham's name, it seems he has had a heart attack, possibly due to one of the bird shot pellets.

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