A few years back I was asked by a friend,,,
If I could take a small group of Canadian relatives out shooting.
I agreed and we all met at my outdoor rifle/pistol club.
My friend brought her Bersa Thunder 22 for the group to shoot,,,
I had already brought my identical Bersa with me.
Not wanting to get the guns or magazines confused,,,
I put her gun in the trunk of my car.
When I went to get her gun to return it to her,,,
It was nowhere to be found.
I immediately drove back to the range and scoured all around the firing line,,,
I also carefully searched all around where I had parked my car.
I stripped the trunk of my car,,,
I even took out the carpet and spare tire.
That pistol was no-where to be found.
I notified the range officers to be on the lookout for it,,,
But I was afraid that someone saw it and said,,,
"Ooh! Free handgun."
I carry a man's briefcase marketed by Gun Toten Mamas,,,
I emptied it out but the gun wasn't in there either.
I had resigned myself to the fact I must have sat the gun on the bumper of my car,,,
And lost it on the road somewhere between the range and my friends house
After a few months went by,,,
I was about ready to order a new gun for my friend.
But one day I was sitting at my desk at work and glanced at my briefcase,,,
For some odd reason I had hung it backwards on the rack.
On the back are two horizontal zippers about 10 inches apart that go almost all the way across the briefcase,,,
It's not really a pocket but is meant to open the zippers and slide the handle of a roller suitcase through.
On a hunch I opened the zipper and there was that thin little Bersa all snuggled inside the faux pocket.
Man did I feel like an idiot but immediately remembered slipping the gun in the fake pocket,,,
So It wouldn't be bumping against the Beretta 85 I had in the briefcase holster.
My friend was delighted to get her gun back,,,
I was happy that I didn't have to buy her a new gun,,,
But more than that I was delighted that it hadn't been discovered.
For three months I had carried a firearm in an area prohibited by state law,,,
If it would have been accidentally discovered in my office,,,
I would have lost my job and damaged my pension.
I truly dodged that proverbial bullet.
Aarond