Many Years From Now

  Part Three of the Cub Scout Chronicles So there I was once again at the Cub Scout meeting. Darrel slowly kicked the little girl sitting on his neighbor’s lap. It was more of a tap and there was little girl putting up with the little man. We watched as the older scouts received their badges, beads and belt loops.
  Darrel asked, “When to I earn a badge?”
  “You have to work for you badges,” I whispered.
  He returned to his kicking of the girl next to him and the meeting went on. I was started to think he once again wasn’t paying attention when one of the scouts relieved a badge for a BB gun.
  “Dad, what is a BB gun?” He asked loudly.
  “I will show you someday,” I answered.
  “When,” he asked.
  “Many years,” I answered to the laughter of the person next to us. Thoughts of him with a BB gun would be a recipe for destruction on a new level, unmatched by anyone. He gets in enough trouble with the plastic weapons in his arsenal.

      Once I remember asking my dad for a BB gun. I was 14 about to turn 15. He told me I would have to wait for my birthday. On the day of my birthday and at my party my dad handed me a note.
  It said, “If you want your birthday gift you will have to work for it. Go to the living room closet and look for a clue.” There under the shoes was another note. “Look in the cupboard under the sink in the upstairs bathroom.” The next clue sent me to my father’s room, then to the guest room, then to his fathers den, then my brother’s room. This went on until I had explored ever room in the house and had gone up and down the stairs at least three times.
  I finally found the last note, it location under my cake, It was a birthday card that read; “If you think it was hard to earn your present this time. Just miss use it once and see how hard it will be to get back. It is under your bed.”
  It turned out to be a 22 rifle. Like the Cub Scout badges, I had to earn the right to have my reward. I still have the rifle; it sits in my gun cabinet, next to my grandfathers shot gun. One day many years from now I will give both guns to my son. Maybe he will end up on his own scavenger hunt.