Hey, Tom! How much of this is true? Did they really have beer at a shooting range? That violates SO many rules of common sense and responsibility.

Sadly these goof-off sessions are losing their luster done up regular-like. :( It's painfully like reading something from an undergrad workshop...or watching John Cage diddle himself. The first time's curious, the second's pornography, and the third's just boring.

TomChick:
Hey Alpern,

The basics of the incident are largely true. I was at a gun range in Beverly Hills with my cousin and Miles O'Keefe (yes, Miles O'Keefe) about ten years ago. My cousin was shooting when something hit him on the arm. It was just a splotch of metal, but it left one heck of a bruise for about a week. My cousin, however, didn't faint, and we just kept on shooting. Afterwards, we all thought it was pretty cool that he'd been shot.

The other bits and pieces come from me visiting shooting ranges recently to consider whether to take my Little Brother shooting a few months ago, for his birthday. He just turned 13, he's fascinated by guns, and he really wanted to try it. However, after visiting a few local shooting ranges, discussing it with various folks, and mulling over the issue, I decided not to do that with him, and instead got him a Lord of the Rings game for his birthday, thereby cementing my standing in his eyes as a Total and Complete Dork.

-Tom

P.S. Yeah, I know the beer thing is pushing it. :)

*basics*? that's dissapointing. Oh well.