Never sleep with the doors unlocked!

[Lynyrd]

Great story! I hope the shirt is still around somewhere. That would be a great item to start conversations with the grandkids about situational awareness.

[Archery1]

Great story and well told. On a sadder note, back in the late 70's, a High School buddy of mine and his brother were gunned down in that very forest by a nutjob while they were just relaxing by the fire. Never was easy enough to hunt there again.

[mojo84]

I normally hate it when an old thread is resurrected. Not the case with this one.

[C-dub]

I had no idea Safariland has been around that long.

[Skiprr]

I had no idea Safariland has been around that long.

Since 1964. Even a year earlier if you count the start-up in Perkins' garage.

[TexasTornado]

I normally hate it when an old thread is resurrected. Not the case with this one.

I'm glad it was, I'd hate to imagine never coming across it. Was a great morning bedtime story. Now back to bed with me!

[Jusme]

I missed this one too TAM, I needed that this morning already a tough start at work. Great story, glad nothing but a shirt, and maybe some pride, was injured.

[Abraham]

This story for me is a reminder to keep the house doors locked even during daylight hours.

Without detailing the entire story, suffice it to say a stranger unlocked, came through my gate, then walked the 150+ feet down the driveway from the gate to the house and attempted to open my door and walk into my house.

Had the door been unlocked who knows how it would've ended?

Starting off with his hand on my door, he blurted out some improbable story of a lost dog. Why on earth he thought his story qualified him to walk into my house unannounced makes me think he was a criminal.

I stood there with a .357 in my hand, (I'd spotted him before he got to the house) held behind my back. After catching on that I wasn't about to open the door, he promptly left.

I struggle with my wife to keep the door locked.

[PatrickMas20]

Great descriptive post!

[Excaliber]

This is a truly terrific story with lots of good insight into thought processes when trying to assess danger in the dark.

Throwing light on the subject is the only way to resolve those uncertainties for sure, as was the case here.

That's the reason that no matter where I am I sleep with a high intensity flashlight either next to or mounted on my closest gun, and why when I am compelled to visit those benighted places where firearms are prohibited, the flashlight is still always there.

[EdnaBambrick]

I normally hate it when an old thread is resurrected. Not the case with this one.

Great stories are timeless. My crime would have been in NOT resurrecting it. Glad to see it's bringing joy to others.

PS - A little something about me. My grandparents all died early before I was 10. When I got to be a few years older, I used to get on a bus and just ride around. I used the opportunity to talk to strangers and hear their stories. This was in the late 70s in Kansas City so a lot of those stories were from people in their 70s and 80s and had lived through WWI and the depression. Probably the most memorable was a guy that used to rob banks. He said he had good luck outrunning the police until they got radios and could call ahead. He said "It was easy to outrun their cars but he couldn't outrun those radio waves" I guess that's how he got caught and had to pick a new career when he got out of prison.

[bblhd672]

Great story. Thanks for resurrecting it TAM!

[parabelum]

Great story. Very interesting to read.

Question, what happened to the western shirt that took 6 rds of 357? Did you have to buy your friend a new shirt, or new underwear ?

Sorry, couldn't resist.

[ELB]

Yes I missed this the first time around as well.

Like Excalibur noted, it's a good example of the utility of a flashlight.

And it sounds like Don's shirt was not the only thing with holes in it. Did your parents notice the holes in the wall or did you get them filled in before that?

[Pawpaw]

Did your parents notice the holes in the wall or did you get them filled in before that?

What wall?

The cabin had a full width screen porch on the front with four double beds and ceiling fans.

Screen wire is pretty easy to replace.