YOUR SHOT
John Higgins started at Sears & Roebuck in 1898 and retired as a comptroller in 1930. His career was unremarkable, except that somebody liked his name. Problem was, he didn’t have a middle initial and without it, his name was . . . well, just ordinary. So they added a ‘C’ and asked John if he’d mind if they used it? John said, “Sure”. Thus, began the J.C. Higgins trademark that was used for baseballs and gloves, other sporting goods, fishing and camping gear, luggage and guns. It wasn’t until 1962 and the advent of the Ted Williams brand that J.C. Higgins disappeared.
But, not completely. I’m not a gun guy, but I have a shotgun, a J.C. Higgins bolt action 16 gauge. It was my dad’s and has minimal value, except for sentiment. But, to us boys, that weapon was iconic. Now, it serves as a reminder of how this country of ours got started.
By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world.
The Concord Hymn of Emerson, referenced above, marks the auspicious beginnings of our nation and the role the musket played in its formation. When push comes to shove, there’s nothing quite like the force of a single leaden ball, hurled at less than supersonic speed, to convey one’s dissent. From 1775 until 1783, that musket ball helped to win our freedom, but to keep it; we might want to take a closer look at how a shotgun works.
Unlike a single bullet or slug that behaves like an autonomous dictator, the pellets of a shotgun shell abide by the rule of the majority. If a critical number don’t convene on the target, other than a lot of noise, the effort will be lost. In fact, acting in concert is no accident. The quality of the pellets, their uniformity and weight, gets a vote. The potency of the propellant and the integrity of the wadding and crimp could conspire to veto. Too much wind and all bets are off. Like people living within a democracy, the process that governs the effect is complicated by a multitude of players.
Like majority rule, shotguns can be messy, but when the minor input of individual pellets is combined and coordinated, the outcome can be dramatic. And, if you value living in a democracy, it bears remembering that – it’s your shot, but when counting matters, stay with the group.