Over the last couple of weeks I have felt the need to equip Mark with enough weaponry to make him feel welcome in Idaho or northern Michigan. First came a slingshot which I was prohibited to own (it was okay to have a pellet gun but not a slingshot) which I have been teaching Mark how to use safely. Then today I bestowed upon him his first pocket knife. I have the knife that my grandfather kept with him everyday his entire life and also I have one that Lee gave me when I was in Grade 10. Another family member’s initials are carved into church pews across western Canada. Wendy said when I bought it for him, “You know what is going to happen.” Of course I do, that’s why I lectured him on what not to do with a knife when I gave it to him which as all knife wielding boys know, just gave him ideas.
It is also his birthday on Saturday. I keep thinking it is May 18th as that is when we went into the hospital to have him. 36 hours later I was a father and two days blended into one. To celebrate his seven trips around the sun, we are headed to Spiderman 3 as a family along with the usual festivities. I am also thinking of introducing him to another passage of manhood, the Ninja movie.
I got my first pocketknife when I turned 4. Dad gave it to me and told me to be careful with it.
That night at church I pulled it on a couple of the older kids who were picking on us little guys. I was going to show them!
Somebody told Dad. He came around the corner. I got my seat warmed a bit. I never saw that knife again.
Owned it for about 6 hours.
That was life in Texas…
I wish I could find the “Old Timer” my father gave me as a boy. It was used to sharpen pencils, cut rope for tree forts, slice an apple or whittle on a piece of wood. Get your son a few pieces of bass wood; he can try his hand at craving. A hunk of Ivory soap also makes a great mdeia for early carving. He will have a blast with the slingshot, but save the BB/pellet gun for playing “army” with his buddies. Trying to expalin how a BB got under the skin on your arm was always fun;-)
It broke my heart when they stopped producing Old Timers. That was the only kind I carried for years. From use they eventually got broken or lost, so would have to be replaced. Now I carry a Buck knife. I wish someone would start making Old Timers again.
Jimmy, I had one richochet off a back of a backhoe once and hit me between the eyes… only by the grace of God that I am not blind today.
Also, what is an “Old Timer”?
Old Timer Knives