It's for the birds

The other day, Mama and the kids were visiting my dad at his store.(not a strong start, but stay with me) Not sure how it all came about but my wife called and told me that when they were there, the kids were given gifts from Pappaw. Now there's nothing unusual about the gifts they were given, if your part of my family. My girls were thrilled to death with their NEW BROOMS, and for "The Boy", 100 shotgun shells. You would think they all won the Powerball jackpot. (welcome to our world) So with clean floors, and Sunday approaching, it's to the range. Please understand that my love of shooting is one of single projectiles, not scattered bb's. So I was looking forward to teaching my son how to do something I had only done a few times, and years ago at that.
So we pull in to the trap and skeet range parking lot, The boy and I grab our guns and go. I brought my workhorse multi-purpose-deer-bird-snake-coon-possum-trashpikincanine-Mossberg 500. The Boy had his Stoeger 20 ga. There was a sporting clays shoot goin on when we arrived, so we sat and waited for the next round so we could embarrass ourselves together. We weren't waiting long when one of the range masters came over to us. "Yall gonna shoot?" "Yup" "He ever dun this before" "Nope, I'm gonna show em how if we can get a launcher" "Why don't yall come with me" So he took us to the side of the lake, and spent the next 2 hours teaching my 7 year old son how to shoot clay pigeons. Saved me the embarrassment of The Boy seein' I didn't know what I was doin. Anyway, the range masters name is Art, he showed my boy how to do everything from shouldering the gun for trap n skeet, to lead, and blowin em up, which was by far his favorite part.
Overall, he did really good. But all of his training in firearms have been with rifle and pistol, he had a hard time not using his sights. He was trying to put the bird in the rifle sights he had on the gun, which anyone who shoots trap & skeet knows that don't work. I had my Leatherman, and the rear sights disappeared quick. After he was looking at the right picture, he was makin dust.
Now me on the other hand, I was pathetic, if my life depended on me eating quail, my slim 250 pound frame would be no more. I hit...um, lets see, about 1 out of 10. Embarrassing to say the least. I thought since I could blow up clay birds by the hundreds out to 200 yards with a rifle,(that's only one bullet) 15 yards with 50 little pellets would be no sweat. I guess I don't have to tell you I was wrong. But we weren't there for me, it was for The Boy, and he loved it, so I reckon we'll be back, and I just might learn how to do it yet.
But the most amazing part of the day was the time given to my boy by Art, he gave up his day of shooting to teach a 7 year old boy he has never met. That's impressive in my book. And weather he realizes it or not, he made a friend for life in my son with his kindness and instruction. He helped me out quite a bit too. Thanks Art.