Thread: New studio
View Single Post
  #13  
Old 12-27-2011, 12:12 PM
joseph engraver's Avatar
joseph engraver joseph engraver is offline
Platinum
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Sarzana,Italy
Posts: 662
Default Heartburn

Here is my holliday painting.The title is "Heartburn" it was fun.

Troubles South of the border
I am facing the most serious problem that I have encountered in a long, long time. Five weeks ago, four clean cut adult Mexican men robbed a neighbor, a man my age, and his wife, at 3:00:A.M.
They took money, expensive electronics, cell phone, the man’s nearly new Dodge pickup, then left them unharmed...
They told him “you no problems we no problems” No weapons were exposed.
He gave up everything without resistance and they left them unharmed. Two weeks ago on Thursday night the neighbor three houses to the south of me experienced a similar situation. His wife woke up to find two men in the second floor bedroom. This time one of the intruders had a very nervous pistol and was masked. They made him open a safe, took cash, valuables, his electronics, cell phone and his SUV. The following Friday about 10PM one of the local fishermen was kidnapped and ransomed later in the night. I am told the ransom was equal to 100 dollars.
I have a nasty feeling that I could also be a target.
The room where Franca and I sleep is small; concrete built, and has solid doors and iron grill work on the windows. It is a secure structure.
The major problem I have is no gun to defend myself.
I have a pit bull that has taken care of small problems over the years.
Ace is now old and not as sharp as he once was. I have him tied to a weak string in front of my bedroom at night. He can easily break lose, if under pressure.
I have put a spider wire trip cord in the back of the place; it is hooked to a piece of copper pipe that makes a loud noise when it hits the concrete floor of my garage. I hope the noise should at 2 AM scare the crap out of anyone sneaking up on us.
My plan is, if the dog or the chimes go off, open the window. Yell as loud as I can in Spanish.”Vete cabrones o Te mata. Then shut the window and all lights and wait to see if they to attempt to break in.
If they do then I guess I will try to negotiate. The odds of anything happening in the next few days are small... Monday I am going to try and buy a legal pistol for home protection that should be interesting if I do, you can be sure that it will be needed engraving. If I can’t then I am going to do a bit of gun smithing on a soon to be 12 gage pistol x flare gun. I just realized that I get to test fire the thing.I went to the Marine base near here and asked about buying and owning a gun, what I really want a 12 gage short barreled shotgunI was told that a permit costs 30 pesos.(two dollars) and that I can own a handgun provided it is not a caliber larger than 9mm.or a shotgun with a barrel at least 24 inches long.I can buy a legal gun in Mexico City,after I obtain more permits by going to the State of Guerro capital and filing more forms. I said to the officer that I spoke to that it would be simpler if I found something on the Black
Market, he agreed so I have quit that idea.
My plan is not to roll over, but to defend and scare them enough not to try again… Up to the present my weapons have been wasp spray, that I understand it is as effective as Pepper spray, and a large machete by the bedside.
Leaving, it is out of the question. I have been a wanderer too many years, this is my home, built with my sweat ,blood, and money.
I am well established here in a small village of fishing men that know and respect me.
I once won a Sailfish fishing tournament prize, two cars, and 4;000$ in pool money and became a local legend. I get along well here,
My wife has tutored two girls and I am friends with the locals. I have done small repairs for the farmers and fishermen on spear guns, sharpened machetes, small tools, once I cut and crowned a cut down 22 single shot rifles with a 15 inch barrel, pistol stock, and a missing front sight. It belonged to one of the Indio’s named Chilpa. T he barrel was bulged an inch behind the muzzle and the front sight was missing. I cut the bulge off. made a new dovetail, with hacksaw and a modified file, made a new front sight out of a small piece of ivory that I brought down when I settled here.(I was a gunsmith in another life.) bore sighted it for 75 feet, after a few rounds I got it sighted in. It shot a respectable 5 round group considering it had a 10 lb. trigger with a lot of creep. I have talked to him about buying a gun of any sort two weeks ago.
Chilpa did not come through, however another lead has paid off; for 6,000 pesos I am now armed with a Beretta look alike 380 auto with one round of ammo in the clip,and the promise of more ammo to come this week. I don’t dare to test fire it until I have a more generous supply of cartridges, it has come at the right time.
Christmas Eve the house two doors to the north was hit at 2AM.These guys were armed with knives and guns. Captured the caretaker put a gun to her head then forced her to let them into the vacation house where a family of wealthy Mexicans is staying for the holidays. They took cash, jewels, electronics, and two Suburban cars. I will sleep well tonight knowing that I can fight back a bit more effectively.
Life can be a shot in the dark, who says retiring is boring
Merry Christmas and a great New Year to all
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Heartburn.jpg (182.0 KB, 0 views)
__________________
"What a large volume of adventures may be grasped within this little span of life by him who interests his heart in everything"-Lawrence Sterne
Reply With Quote