Fifteen family members from age 3 to 85 gathered at their grandparents’ farm house for a Sunday Birthday dinner for Betty. The grandparents, Betty and George, have lived on this farm for 60 years, their entire married life.
After dessert, their grandson, Chase, age 16 asked George if he had been hunting for elk this fall. George replied that he could not find his hunting rifle so he did not join the neighbor for their usual October hunt.
Betty interrupted and reminded George that he gave up hunting and the rifle was in the back of his bedroom closet. Chase asked to see the gun as George promised him the gun when George died. George immediately left the kitchen and went to his closet to retrieve the gun to show it to Chase. Five minutes passed. George did not return to the kitchen. BOOM! Everyone raced to the bedroom to see what made the noise. George was sitting on the bed with a box of shells spilled over the quilted bedspread. The rifle was in his lap, pointed toward the floor. Three feet from the end of the gun barrel was a new hole in the scuffed wood floor.
Betty scolded George as she took the gun away. She reminded him they agreed he would not put bullets in the gun, even though he could still hold it. George said he did not remember what happened.
Betty gave the rifle to Chase’s father when they left later that afternoon, only asking that Chase receive the gun when he was responsible enough to be a gun owner.
The moral of this story: For some gun owners there may come a time when they do not realize it is no longer safe for them to own a gun. One solution is to sign a “Gun Agreement” in advance so everyone, the gun owner and his/her family, understands when to remove guns for the safety of everyone.
Giving up the ownership of a gun is as hard as giving up a car and no longer driving. Ignoring the potential problem is dangerous and can be deadly.
I have provided a “Gun Agreement”. You may want to use it to address this issue before it becomes a problem.
****** UPCOMING SEMINAR ******
Free public seminar – Wednesday, December 5, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Join us for this informative seminar, sponsored by Susan M. Graham, to help you understand ways to create your Estate Plan and at the same time increase your retirement security – bring a friend or two!
For more information and to register to attend, click here or call 208-344-0375
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