Unfiltered Story #181213

(This happened a while back, way before the days of crazy gun control laws, when me and my father were in Oregon on a fishing and camping trip. We are from California, but come up to Oregon once or twice a year for a boy’s trip. My father is obsessed with fishing and stops at every Bait & Tackle Store he sees. We walk into a store and look around.)

My father: “Hi, I’m just looking around.”

Owner: “Alrighty then, my names [Name], holler if ya need anything!”

(We poke around for a while, and my father ends up buying some lures and nightcrawlers. He chats up the owner of the store for what feels like forever before we leave. The next year, we go back to the same store to say hi and peak around.)

My father: “Hey, is [Owner] working today?”

Younger Employee: “Actually, my father is on indefinite medical leave. What can I help you with?”

My father: “Oh, what happened to him?”

Owner’s son: “About a few months back, [Owner’s name] was closing up the shop late at night and heard a noise outside. He got his shotgun and went out to check, and saw a man trying to break into and take the money from the vending machine outside. He shot the man and killed him.”

My father: “Jesus! Wow. Well, uh… wow.”

Owner’s son: “Yeah, crazy right?”

My father: “D*** straight! I take he didn’t go to jail?”

Owner’s son: “Yeah, because it was private property, the police just told him to maybe take a break and go on leave for a while.”

My father: “Crazy stuff…”

(Only in Oregon, folks!)