I've always been fascinated with Sara Winchester, heiress to the
Winchester Repeating Arms Company fortune.
After the death of her newborn baby and then her husband, poor
Sarah became convinced that her family was cursed. She consulted a
psychic who informed her that the souls of all of those killed by the
Winchester rifle were after her.
On the psychic's advice, Sarah moved to California and began
construction on the Winchester Mystery House.
The chaos of the house was to confuse the spirits and Sarah would
be able to hide from them.
I have no idea if Sarah was tortured by lost souls or if she was
snookered by the psychic but either way – the poor woman did not
have a peaceful life.
Because of my fascination with her story I've always had an
aversion to Winchester guns.
Call me crazy but I think shooting a Winchester is a lot like
bringing bricks or airplane crash debris home – it causes bad
ju-ju.
I've been wanting a 20 gauge shotgun for a while now and have been
adamant that I did NOT want a Winchester.
I also didn't want a brand new gun. I wanted something in good
shape but I didn't want to pay an arm and a leg for it.
The Island King found several online but then I realized that I
want to hold it before I buy it. I think buying a shotgun online is a
lot like buying shoes online – it may or may not fit right.
He'll only buy used guns from one dealer, someone he and my family
have known and trusted for years, so he called and the man had 2 20
gauge pumps.
One Mossberg and one Winchester.
We got to the shop and since I'd already ruled the Winchester out
they handed me the Mossberg.
I didn't like it. It sat funky on my shoulder and most
importantly, it didn't speak to me.
The Island King was holding the Winchester, which is beautiful,
and I motioned for him to hand it to me.
Taadaaa!!!
This gun was not only speaking to me – it was singing. It was a
perfect, natural fit and I knew immediately that this was the gun I
wanted.
After all, I've been using Winchester ammo for years and is that
really any different? And if the souls of those killed by Winchester
guns haunted everyone who has one I think I would have heard about
that by now.
On the way home it occurred to me that maybe it was the dead souls
singing and not the gun itself.
But then I decided that no way could angry dead souls sound as
happy as the sounds I heard.
The Island King says that because I “heard” anything at all is
a sign that I'm already crazy and have nothing to worry about.
Can you drive a crazy person crazy?
I won't be able to shoot it until this weekend but I have a
feeling that I won't be bringing any bad ju-ju around.
Some squirells for the pot? Yes
Spirits of those killed by
Winchesters? No
But cross your fingers for me just in case. Labels: Done
