posted
Well I did shoot dad's gas can once and yup it was full of gas and yup I got in a mess of doo-doo but it aint nothing like this poor kid even if it is just a joke.
Life as a child growing up in Oklahoma....
Around age 10 my dad got me one of those little badass compound bow beginner kits. Of course, the first month I went around our land sticking arrows in anything that could get stuck by an arrow. Did you know that a 1955 40 horse Farmall tractor tire will take 6 rounds before it goes down? Tough sumbich.
That got boring, so being the 10 yr. old Dukes of Hazard fan that I was, I quickly advanced to taking strips of cut up T-shirt doused in chainsaw gas tied around the end and was sending flaming arrows all over the place
One summer afternoon, I was shooting flaming arrows into a large rotten oak stump in our backyard. I looked over under the carport and see a shiny brand new can of starting fluid (Ether). The light bulb went off in my head.
I grabbed the can and set it on the stump. I thought that it would probably just spray out in a disappointing manner. Lets face it, to a 10 yr old mouth-breather like myself, (Ether), really doesn't "sound" flammable.
So, I went back into the house and got a 1 pound can of pyrodex (black powder for muzzle loader rifles).
At this point, I set the can of ether on the stump and opened up the can of black powder. My intentions were to sprinkle a little bit around the (Ether) can but it all sorta dumped out on me. No biggie, a 1 lb. pyrodex and 16 oz (Ether) should make a loud pop, kinda like a firecracker you know?
You know what? Screw that I'm going back in the house for the other can.
Yes, I got a second can of pyrodex and dumped it too. Now we're cookin'.
I stepped back about 15 ft and lit the 2 stroke arrow. I drew the nock to my cheek and took aim. As I released I heard a clunk as the arrow launched from my bow. In a slow motion time frame, I turned to see my dad getting out of the truck... OH SHOOT! He just got home from work. So help me God it took 10 minutes for that arrow to go from my bow to the can. My dad was walking towards me in slow motion with a [beeep] look in his eyes. I turned back towards my target just in time to see the arrow pierce the starting fluid can right at the bottom. Right through the main pile of pyrodex and into the can. Oh shoot.
When the shock wave hit it knocked me off my feet. I don't know if it was the actual compression wave that threw me back or just reflex jerk back from 235 fricking decibels of sound. I caught a half a millisecond glimpse of the violence during the initial explosion and I will tell you there was dust, grass, and bugs all hovering 1 ft above the ground as far as I could see. It was like a little low to the ground layer of dust fog full of grasshoppers, spiders, and a worm or two.
The daylight turned purple. Let me repeat this... THE FRICKING DAYLIGHT TURNED PURPLE.
There was a big sweetgum tree out by the gate going into the pasture. Notice I said "was". That sumbich got up and ran off.
So here I am, on the ground blown completely out of my shoes with my thundercats T-Shirt shredded, my dad is on the other side of the carport having what I can only assume is a Vietnam flashback: ECHO BRAVO CHARLIE YOU'RE BRINGIN' EM IN TOO CLOSE!! CEASE FIRE. [beeep] IT CEASE FIRE!!!!!
His hat has blown off and is 30 ft behind him in the driveway. All windows on the north side of the house are blown out and there is a slow rolling mushroom cloud about 2000 ft. over our backyard. There is a Honda 185 3 wheeler parked on the other side of the yard and the fenders are drooped down and are now touching the tires.
I wish I knew what I said to my dad at this moment. I don't know - I know I said something. I couldn't hear. I couldn't hear inside my own head. I don't think he heard me either... not that it would really matter. I don't remember much from this point on. I said something, felt a sharp pain, and then woke up later. I felt a sharp pain, blacked out, woke later....repeat this process for an hour or so and you get the idea. I remember at one point my mom had to give me CPR. and Dad screaming "Bring him back to life so I can kill him again". Thanks Mom.
One thing is for sure... I never had to mow around that stump again, Mom had been bitching about that thing for years and dad never did anything about it. I stepped up to the plate and handled business.
Dad sold his muzzle loader a week or so later. I still have some sort of bone growth abnormality, either from the blast or the beating, or both.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, get your kids into archery. It's good discipline and will teach them skills they can use later on in life.
Posts: 813 | From: canada | Registered: May 2007
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posted
WOW remind me to hide ALL gas and ether cans when I have kids! I haven't laughed as hard as I just did in a long time. Thanks for the story!
-------------------- Jon Richards
Genesis 27:3 Now then, get your weapons--your quiver and bow--and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me. >>>>------------> Schafer Silvertip 62@28 Schafer Silvertip 71@28 Posts: 1464 | From: Studley, Kansas | Registered: Oct 2010
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I`m speechless! I did introduced my two kids in archery. Great story,lesson learned...
-------------------- An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward.So when life is dragging you back with difficulties, it means that it's going to launch you into something great. Posts: 1763 | From: Lac St-Paul,Qc,Canada | Registered: Apr 2009
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posted
typical day here in sunny Oklahoma. I don't remember writing that but it does sound vaguely familiar.
Posts: 377 | From: Tulsa, Oklahoma | Registered: Aug 2005
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Man oh man, that brought tears to my eyes from laughing so hard!! That is some funny stuff! I had flashbacks of my dad educating me after some of the stupid stuff I did as a kid.
Posts: 111 | From: Pasadena, California | Registered: Nov 2010
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Young boys can do some dumb things, but the stories last a lifetime. However I hope you do not work in a nuclear power plant!
Posts: 442 | From: Skaneateles, NY | Registered: Jan 2011
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Thats got to be the funniest thing I've ever read.
-------------------- '10 Howard Hill Wesley Special 70" 45@28; '09 Turkey Creek 62" 55@28; '09 Brush Country Wasp II 64" 54@28; '07 Turkey Creek Dbl Carbon 64" 56@28; '64 Wing Red Wing Hunter 58" 38@28; '62 Wing Red Wing Hunter 58" 50@28 Posts: 274 | From: San Antonio, Texas | Registered: May 2008
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Man, I was about two steps behind you. My passion was cherry bombs covered with glue, rolled in BBs and tossed into swimming pools and creeks, firecrackers and bottles of gasoline and firecrackers taped to the wings of my model planes and boats. I tore a lot of stuff up and my dad did too. I swear, sometimes I wonder how I made it past 14. Great story.
Posts: 413 | From: Oklahoma | Registered: Oct 2010
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