Thursday, December 30, 2010

From Grace Swank-Davis #9


IMG_0006, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Mac told me that he was in the Navy during WW1 and served as a radio operator on a ship. In World War 2 he was in the Army and was stationed in Hawaii as a rifle instructor.
When he was showing me and Barbara how to work the Polack elephants in 1965 at his place in San Antonio he took joy in showing me his gun collection which was quite valuable.
This picture must have been staged by Scaperlanda since the target area was a good distance out back where he had piled a big mound of dirt.
Armed with a rifle, pen and paper, he would shoot one round then approach the target, measure the bullet hole and then write something down. Shooting three rounds was a busy afternoon.
One day Mac insisted that me and Barbara accompany him his rifle range and once there insisted that we all fire this peculiar looking rifle. He fired first and hit just outside the bulls eye, I was next and was further out then Mac insisted that Barbara fire, she reluctantly obeyed and firing immediately hit center bull.
Not saying a word Mac took his rifle, picked up his gear and walked away, leaving us standing there.
Fourteen years later we were playing San Antone with the Blue Show and I took a car load of elephant guys out to his place to pay homage and invite him and Peggy to the show. Despite all my whining and begging he absolutely refused to go.
I don't think he ever quite got over the rifle incident.

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