The N.R.B.R.A.??

Our ukulele thing this weekend was at the National Communications Museum and they had a bunch of 'exhibits' on the ground floor, of which we were one. The 'booth' to our left was this:
Could I have felt any happier? I think not, but in a country where guns are totally illegal, it makes sense that it would spawn this organization. In the display case were many different rubber-band guns (I won't even try to name the types because I'll just sound like an idiot, but there were many. You can see the MR-2 here) and next to it was a poster with the best painted portrait I've ever seen of this association's founder. One-hundred percent 70s cop style, replete with hair-do, raised eyebrow, gun-holster and green meadow in the background. See for yourself:It was so good, I took a picture. Feeling satisfied, I turned around and faced...the man in the flesh! Of course I had to take another picture. His painted portrait was not false-to-form in any way:If there was ever an obscure talent, it would be being gifted with a rubber-band gun. This guy, Mr. Nakamura, was a dead-shot. He had a 5 yen coin hanging from a string, and he could hit it with a rubber-band time and again, whether it was stationary or swinging and spinning all around. I was impressed. Plus, he designed and made all of the guns on view. I kinda wish he was my grandpa. Seeing how the kids flocked to his table, I think I am not alone in this wish. Why do guns draw kids like magnets?
Anyway, you may be wondering why this is appearing on mctm since thus far it has had nothing to do with my mom. But, this is where she comes into the picture.

Of course she wanted to try one out. She'd barely 'loaded' it before she discharged it in some random direction. See the look of abject terror on that guy's face? There are kids everywhere! I thought. Man, it was a good thing that it was only loaded with low-caliber rubber bands. The moral of this story, in the words of James Thurber, is 'Never allow a nervous female to have access to a pistol, no matter what you're wearing.'

Especially when she is your mother.

Amen, brother.