the gun show

Several weeks ago, my 8 year old noticed a billboard advertising a "gun show" at the Expo Center. He asked if I would take him and I agreed. So on Saturday, I took E. and his pal C. to the gun show.

I had no idea what to expect, and my first surprise was that it cost $10 for me to get in. Yikes. Once inside, it was like an alternate universe. Men with guns were walking around everywhere. We don't live in a culture where you see many people walking around with guns, so it's jarring to see that. Of course, all the guns were checked by police officers at the door and had to have some sort of plastic safety tie on them so they were not fire-able, but it's still a strange sight.

The little boys were in heaven. My only rules were no running and no touching without asking the person staffing the booth, and they both carefully followed the rules. So basically I followed them around for two hours as they went from booth to booth, admiring everything from beautful guns from the War of 1812 to scary looking handguns.Everyone at the gun show was extremely kind and friendly to the two inquisitive little boys asking all their questions at booth after booth.

E. used his own money to buy a new airsoft rifle. C. used his to buy an action figure of a Russian WWI soldier. The next day. E. went back with his grandfather and came home with a WWII bayonet.