Hi folks,
I received a note from an anonymous neighbor, it would seem. It reads:
"Dear Neighbor,
Would you please not shoot your guns when were (sic) having family time in the evenings? All of your neighbors would appreciate it."
Not signed.
OK. First, the obvious is that civilization is moving in way too close for my comfort, and I'll probably up and move.
However, I need to find out who wrote this. I need to establish what they think of as "evening". With rare occasions, I do not shoot past 4 or 5pm, and most definitely not after 7pm, as that is when one of my neighbors has to go to bed. He asked me personally, and I respect that. I do not respect anonymous notes.
Next, I am, by far, not the only one who shoots. There is a huge, long berm behind these houses, and it's not unusual to have three or four of us going at the same time (last night I was shooting, and there was only one other, shooting what sounded like a semi-auto .22 rifle long after I had fired 11 reloads from the Mosin-Nagant).
If I'm getting blamed for his shooting as well -- and I'm not sure who it is or I'd go talk to him and see if he got the same note -- then I will be doubly unhappy.
Now, I'm not irritated at the note itself. Frankly, I'm pissed that the man was too chicken-**** to just come talk to me. We could have had some coffee and established a game plan. Instead, I have this anonymous note that claims to speak for all my neighbors, when I know for a fact that most of my neighbors are always up for shooting, and either will start and I'll join in, or I'll start and they'll join in. Just the way we are, and always have been, along here (I lived in the house next-door since I was a junior or senior in high school).
The note is written hurriedly. From what little I know of handwriting analysis, it would appear this is a male who wrote it, and he's is a position of some power wherever he works. The open letters denote selfishness, though that may just be a symptom of thinking of his family. The paper has a particular scent to it. Being plain notebook paper, this would not be the norm. It smells a bit like vanilla candle.
The paper itself is just torn from a notebook, spiral bound, not using the perforated edge. It's crinkled, like it had been riding in a purse or pocket, or maybe wadded up several times, but the paper still has plenty of strength to it so I doubt it was the latter. It was crinkled after having been written.
Now, there is only one family that has kids along here, but he's a shooter and, I suspect, the one with his .22 out when I shoot. Not 100% sure that "family time" should denote children.
I could shotgun the mailboxes by writing a letter and putting them in each one giving my phone number and requesting a call. However, if he didn't sign his name, he probably won't call, either.
The request I can respect; the fact that he claims to talk for all my neighbors, and the cowardice of an anonymous letter, I most definitely do not respect.
Mostly I'd like to hunt down whoever it is and have a talk with him. Nothing mean, just get clarification.
What would you do?
Thanks,
Josh
P.S. I do not know most of these neighbors beyond knowing them to nod to. J.S.
I received a note from an anonymous neighbor, it would seem. It reads:
"Dear Neighbor,
Would you please not shoot your guns when were (sic) having family time in the evenings? All of your neighbors would appreciate it."
Not signed.
OK. First, the obvious is that civilization is moving in way too close for my comfort, and I'll probably up and move.
However, I need to find out who wrote this. I need to establish what they think of as "evening". With rare occasions, I do not shoot past 4 or 5pm, and most definitely not after 7pm, as that is when one of my neighbors has to go to bed. He asked me personally, and I respect that. I do not respect anonymous notes.
Next, I am, by far, not the only one who shoots. There is a huge, long berm behind these houses, and it's not unusual to have three or four of us going at the same time (last night I was shooting, and there was only one other, shooting what sounded like a semi-auto .22 rifle long after I had fired 11 reloads from the Mosin-Nagant).
If I'm getting blamed for his shooting as well -- and I'm not sure who it is or I'd go talk to him and see if he got the same note -- then I will be doubly unhappy.
Now, I'm not irritated at the note itself. Frankly, I'm pissed that the man was too chicken-**** to just come talk to me. We could have had some coffee and established a game plan. Instead, I have this anonymous note that claims to speak for all my neighbors, when I know for a fact that most of my neighbors are always up for shooting, and either will start and I'll join in, or I'll start and they'll join in. Just the way we are, and always have been, along here (I lived in the house next-door since I was a junior or senior in high school).
The note is written hurriedly. From what little I know of handwriting analysis, it would appear this is a male who wrote it, and he's is a position of some power wherever he works. The open letters denote selfishness, though that may just be a symptom of thinking of his family. The paper has a particular scent to it. Being plain notebook paper, this would not be the norm. It smells a bit like vanilla candle.
The paper itself is just torn from a notebook, spiral bound, not using the perforated edge. It's crinkled, like it had been riding in a purse or pocket, or maybe wadded up several times, but the paper still has plenty of strength to it so I doubt it was the latter. It was crinkled after having been written.
Now, there is only one family that has kids along here, but he's a shooter and, I suspect, the one with his .22 out when I shoot. Not 100% sure that "family time" should denote children.
I could shotgun the mailboxes by writing a letter and putting them in each one giving my phone number and requesting a call. However, if he didn't sign his name, he probably won't call, either.
The request I can respect; the fact that he claims to talk for all my neighbors, and the cowardice of an anonymous letter, I most definitely do not respect.
Mostly I'd like to hunt down whoever it is and have a talk with him. Nothing mean, just get clarification.
What would you do?
Thanks,
Josh
P.S. I do not know most of these neighbors beyond knowing them to nod to. J.S.
