The Game-Changer

"Hi, My name is Matt Foley. I am 35 years old, divorced, and live in a van down by the river".  So goes the beginning of a famous skit by Chris Farley on SNL.  Because of the similarities of my life and this skit, I have gotten a lot of mileage out of it.  My colleagues at work give me a hard time because I live in a camper down by the lake.  Most of the time I love staying in the camper.  It is a good place to stay when I am out of town.  I am in the woods, make fires quite often, grill out most of the time, read a lot, and kayak on the 300 acre lake that is 50 feet from my front door. 

There are some down sides to the campground, however.  It is very cold in the winter.  And lonely.  There was a drug and prostitution ring that was busted a few campers down from where I stay.  I have seen drug exchanges take place in the very early morning hours.  And, when it snows, I have been stuck and unable to get out.  Because I am alone during the winter months and 10 miles from the city, I decided to buy a pistol...just in case.

This week, I was glad that I did.  As I entered the shower house, I noticed a bicycle in the far left shower stall.  I just had a feeling. So I went back to the camper and got my Springfield Arms 44 gap, loaded with a magazine of hollow tip shells.  To make a long story short, I had an encounter with a desperate man.  He said he was biking across the state to see his daughter. He needed money and food.  He was determined.  Much to his surprise, I had my pistol tucked neatly under my towel.  Needless to say, his story and demeanor changed very quickly when he realized he that I was prepared and armed.

I don't know what would have happened if I had not been armed.  Maybe nothing.  Who knows?  But I am thankful for the right to bear arms and thankful that our founding fathers had the common sense to make provisions for law-abiding citizens to be able to protect themselves.