Put a BB In the Chamber!

I shot a BB gun this weekend -- firing rounds at a rock in the middle of a creek in the middle of nowhere on a perfect late Winter afternoon.

The first two times I pulled the trigger I couldn't see where the BB landed. There were no telltale clues, not a ricochet, kerplunk in the stream, ripple or "p-ting" on impact.

"Misfire," my 14-year old companion said. There apparently hadn't been a BB loaded in the chamber -- nothing to fire.

Wow, I thought to myself. If I couldn't see where my shot went there wouldn't be much point to this process.

It's seeing our impact, knowing how close we came to hitting out target that keeps us in the game.

Often, when writing, it's hard to tell where the BB landed.

Sometimes it's a complete act of faith to think that the shot even made a ripple. But if there's ever to be even a hope of a response, you have to put some ammo in the chamber.

This is my BB today.

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