My uncle Bud left behind a lever action rifle. A Winchester 30-30.

I just joined a facebook group that enthuses.  They enthuse about lever action rifles.  What does that mean?  I suppose their faces light up with enthusiasm.  They smile.  Their eyebrows arch and they say enthusiastic things, like “sweet.”  And “I am enthusiastic.”  Or maybe, “I really like lever-action rifles.  

I really like the lever action rifle my son gave me for Christmas, a Rossi 44-40 lever action rifle.  It is in my garage as we speak.  Actually as I write.  I’ll buy some ammunition later this year.  It is much too cold and snowy to head out of town and fire the rifle.  My nephew Jon Angel and I will enjoy trying the rifle out.  I have some targets and we can put them 100 yards downrange.  I’ll use the sandbags that are in the back of my pickup (thawed by then) to steady the barrel so that I can accurately sight in the rifle.  This will be reminiscent of my uncle Carl Ralph Bonde, Jr. and his 30-30 which my brother sold at age 18 so he could hitch-hike the Western US and find himself.  I will not forget when my mother asked him how he would have money to travel.  “With this!” Tom said, holding up a bunch of cash bills.