I have an arrangement with a former Marine. Big burly dude. [View all]

[flamin lib]

Should my life go sideways he is to come to my house and secure all my firearms and lock them away where they are inaccessible to me.

Well, today I did that for someone else.

Domestic life is in turmoil and finances are really kinda messed up. Funny how those things seem to come together as a pair.

Anyway, after a big blowup where things that shouldn't have been said were said at a volume that was way too high we were called in to intervene. We're not professionals but we know these people well enough to talk them both down. An hour of tears, recriminations and finger pointing finally exhausted them both and they talked to each other like people who actually want to make things work.

Crisis avoided for another day. It's not over but it's down to an ongoing conversation and we're on speed dial.

I walked him out to his car as he was going to bid a job so we could talk out of ear shot and I said, "Look, don't take this wrong, I don't think there's a bad bone in your body but I would feel better if you'd loan me your guns for awhile." We talked about emotions being high and breaking points and things that you truly can't take back. We went back inside and he gave me his guns and ammunition for safe keeping without an argument. The guns are now securely locked in my personal gun-safe and we've agreed that when jobs are found and the pressure is off I'll bring them back.

It takes a lot to face someone in situations like this and even more to broach the subject of possible harm. It's a delicate balance of offering help without seeming to accuse. The fact that everything went so quietly means that things would have probably been okay anyway but I feel better even if nobody else does. Ask any cop how they feel about domestic calls.

Don't know why I'm posting this. Maybe just bleeding off some emotion.