A Very Old Gun

When I was a lot younger I met a man who would become my good friend, hunting and fishing buddy, and a mentor to a young man who probably needed direction. Fred was a family man with a wife and four daughters and I think he secretly longed for a son. Fred was always ready to go partridge hunting or trout fishing on a moments notice and more often than not, Fred was there coaxing me to get a move on because life is too short to waste outdoor time. When we weren't hunting or fishing we were throwing cookout parties for the families and enjoying the outdoors. When my wife and I got married Fred was my best man. Fred was an avid collector of anything and everything that caught his eye, coins, stamps, old fishing tackle (and new) and anything pertaining to guns and hunting. Over the years Fred gave me countless items, usually of little value but of great interest simply because they were weird or unique. One such item was this old pinfire revolver. I took it gratiously and threw it in my gun cabinet where it languished for years. Then Fred got sick and, sadly, passed away in an instant. I was heartbroken and knew I would miss his companionship from that time on. I dug out this old pinfire and looked at it for a long time and realized that it would forever remind me of the great times I had with Fred and the great debt I owed him. It isn't a rare or priceless item except to me. I thought I would share it with you. Thanks for listening to my story, Chris