Baaaaaad to the Bone

So I bought a groupon for 1 hour at a shooting range.  I've always wanted to try it out and when the deal came across my computer for $10, I couldn't pass it up.  But the whole experience went south quickly.  It started when we drove out to the place and it ended up being deep in El Cajon, over 30 minutes from our house, in a very remote part of town (borderline sketchy).  Then, as we stepped out of the car, we heard loud gun shots and I almost dropped to the floor.  That's what they do in movies and I guess it must be an automatic response because I don't think I even had time to process the thought and I was halfway down to the ground.  It turns out they have a shot gun area outside, hence the loud shots.  Anyway, we survived the walk from the parking lot and as soon as we got in the shop, they handed us a long book with a quiz at the end, along with the instructions to thoroughly read through the book and take the test.  This worried me a bit and since I take tests seriously, I opened to the front page and started reading.  Garrett, on the other hand, turned to the back page and started reading the quiz and trying to answer the questions, flipping through the book when needed.  I was appalled, clearly we need to know every ounce of this book to be safe!  We're handling a weapon for goodness sakes!  Anyway, 10 minutes later we made it though the reading and passed the quiz and we're given a bin with a box of amo, 4 targets and a large hand gun.  He told us to go to booth 4 and we'd find our ear and eye protection.  As we walked out to the shooting range, there was a large sing that said ear and eye protection mandatory beyond this point.  I knew this since I read the book from cover to cover.  How could we get to the booth to get our protection if we're to have it on to enter our booth?  Anyway, long story short, it was in our bin and we got our protection on and ready to fire.  I was really disturbed that we were in a room with many booths and many people holding large hand guns and shot guns.  Even a small child was shooting.  What kept him from being distracted and turning his weapon on me?!  I was not a fan so far but we got organized, Garrett loaded the gun and I did it.  I fired the weapon.  I actually hit the bulls eye on the first shot!  But never found it again, and completely hated the whole experience. 

I put this mean face on for show but I have no plans in ever returning to this or any other shooting range.  Just not for me.  It was freezing in this room and the man next to me was using a shot gun and blew his target to smithereens!  Freaked me out!  I won't do this again but if for some crazy reason I find myself back at a shooting range, I hope to have a private room with no children or wild shot guns!

Garrett had a hay day though, loved it! 

He looks like an Italian Mafia member here.  Must be in the blood. :)