Tondeleo: Doc, you have seen a lot in your time. You’ve lived a rough life, done some jail time, been in a fair share of fights. I bet it gives you some real insights as to self defense, gun ownership and all that.
Doc: Ain’t no insights. Just what nature an' the good Lord teaches you. God never sent no animal into the wild without a means of defending itself. A turtle ain’t fast, but he has a shell. A rabbit got strong back legs to outrun dogs, cats an' foxes an' what not. A cat can run fast an’ has claws an’ teeth. A dog is strong, has teeth and can run. All of ‘em can defend themselves against what’s trying to hurt them.
Then comes man who thinks that no one should be able to defend himself against predators. I learnt that word from Marilyn, my brother who died’s girl. Means someone who is out to get someone else who is weaker. Predators ain’t on the “goin’ extinct” list, last I looked. But they ought to be.
On TV, they say if someone wants to rob you, just give ‘em what they’s askin’ for. If they’s robbin’ me, they’s asking for my knee in their private parts and I’m gonna cut ‘em pretty bad, too. That’s for tryin’ to scare me outta my stuff what I worked hard for.
I wouldn’t kill a man for just tryin’ to take my stuff, but I would hurt him real bad. Some only learn that way. I hurt a few men in my day. One of ‘em in a shelter tried to rob me whilst I was SLEEPIN’! I faked stayin’ asleep an’ when he bent over my bed to go through my pockets, I grabbed him by his collar and pulled his head into my forehead an’ broke his nose for starters. Then I grabbed his privates real hard an’ gave a squeeze, to pull myself outta the bed. I took his head an’ smashed his face over an’ over into the door of my locker and then stuck a ice pick into his leg about four times. I said “Do not steal from a sleeping man AGAIN!” I got throwed outta that shelter and was questioned by the cops an’ released on my own cognizance. Dude had a knife on him an' had a long record for arm robbery an' stealin'. Cops tol' me to leave town an' not come back, an' I ain't really gone back there much since then.
There is the problem with crime. I didn’t steal from him, but he tried to steal from me, an’ I got throwed out. But I took him to school first. I taught him a ‘portant life lesson.
"If some piece of trash wants to rob a poor man, he is lower than dirt. And he will wind up believing in Jesus about a second after someone pulls the trigger."
“Now, I’m not livin’ on the streets no more. I got me a little place to stay and to put my things. I got a little patch of ground with turnips, ‘tater’s, ‘maters, beans an’ some white corn. I got a shotgun with a pistol grip an’ I am ready to use it to deal with whatever needs dealin' with. Where we are takes about a half hour for the cops to get there, and that is IF you got a phone. Cell phone ain't got no signal out here, so you is on your own, Tondy.
Mos' people out here is poor, and they know it is up to them to protect they owm property and loved ones. Mos' us got dogs. I got three. Hank Williams, Dale Junior and Stubby. A rockwhiler, and two American Bulldogs.
I tell you, out here, if some piece of trash wants to rob a poor man, he is lower than dirt and he will wind up believing in Jesus about a second after someone pulls the trigger. I taught Marilyn how to use a shotgun to take out the trash, too! Know what I mean? She ain’t scared one bit to shoot a man if she is alone and if he needs shootin’.
“See, the sheriff can’t protect you or your property. They ain't but so many sheriff’s and cops in a whole county. That’s YOUR job to protect your stuff. Then, when they get there, you tell ‘em what happened. You got a right to protect your house and ones that you love. When someone comes to rob you, they know they is taken a risk. Sometimes they win, sometimes they lose. That’s it. But I don’t go lookin’ for trouble. ONly a fool goes lookin' for trouble.
