07-11-2011, 06:33 PM
I'm going to say first that I do enjoy in a lot of ways not feeling like I need to own a gun anymore, living where I do now days. Where I lived before a gun was a thing every body had (and pretty much needed) like a hammer, tool belt or wallet.
There were a couple of old guys who lived a mile or so apart near me who would actually communicate by shooting off their rifles a certain number of times (no cell coverage out there). One guy would let the other one know he had been to town and had bought beer with two shots- so come over. Two shots in reply meant "I'm on the way" and just one meant "I don't feel like coming". It took me about a year to find this out, and it was kinda cool to hear and be able to interpret this olde west sorta telegraph in the distance.
Likewise, people would demonstrate just what they were packing at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve. In the country, where there is a lot of space, it felt pretty cool - your neighbors and you, all saying "we're here and strong (and pretty much drunk) so don't mess with us", very loudly.
But in more populated places stray bullets rain down on innocent folk's houses every New Year's Eve, so they now discourage the practice of shooting in the air there.
I think the important question is WHO is shooting? It's probably one of your neighbors. You should go and see what they're about ...maybe even with a six pack or something to share - even though it probably feels pretty awkward. It may be that they're jerks - but it may also be that you all can get along and you'll be happy to have them as neighbors. That's what I hope happens.
Aloha
There were a couple of old guys who lived a mile or so apart near me who would actually communicate by shooting off their rifles a certain number of times (no cell coverage out there). One guy would let the other one know he had been to town and had bought beer with two shots- so come over. Two shots in reply meant "I'm on the way" and just one meant "I don't feel like coming". It took me about a year to find this out, and it was kinda cool to hear and be able to interpret this olde west sorta telegraph in the distance.
Likewise, people would demonstrate just what they were packing at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve. In the country, where there is a lot of space, it felt pretty cool - your neighbors and you, all saying "we're here and strong (and pretty much drunk) so don't mess with us", very loudly.
But in more populated places stray bullets rain down on innocent folk's houses every New Year's Eve, so they now discourage the practice of shooting in the air there.
I think the important question is WHO is shooting? It's probably one of your neighbors. You should go and see what they're about ...maybe even with a six pack or something to share - even though it probably feels pretty awkward. It may be that they're jerks - but it may also be that you all can get along and you'll be happy to have them as neighbors. That's what I hope happens.
Aloha