On Saturday we had been to Dholar-ri-Dhani on the outskirts. Though the resort was started more than a decade ago this was my first visit. There was nothing much to see or do there. That day the place was overrun with screaming schook kids trying out the camel rides, the swings and every thing that was free.
There was a stall where one could shoot at balloons with an air rifle and my ten year old son wanted to try it out. It was three shots for twenty rupees. I hadn't held a gun for long and I wanted to try it out first. I blew out all the three balloons. My son had this look of awe on his face when the guy told the other kids gathered that this was how real shooters did it. I was more amazed at my own marksmanship than my son. But that moment, I was a hero to my son. I realized it was a moment to teach him something.
I was in the NCC when I was in high school and knew a bit about rifle shooting. Then a friend had an air rifle which I borrowed and practiced for a couple of days. When my friend saw that I was getting better he took back the gun and that was the end of my shooting spree. I wasn't what you call a marksman or a sharpshooter but I was kind of okay, getting in a few bulleyes' now and then. It is all about concentration which is what I wanted to teach my son on Saturday.
I taught him how to hold the gun. ( It was too heavy for him). I showed him the sights and how to aim at the target. I showed him how to hold the breath when you squeeze the trigger. He listened and did it all perfectly. He blew out two balloons out of three shots. Not bad, I thought.
But then he wanted to do it again and again. At twenty rupees for three shots it was quite expensive. He tried two more rounds. He missed all shots in the second round but in the final round he got two shots at the ballons out of the three. Now he is hooked to shooting though there is no way I am going to buy him a gun.
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