I got a flier in the mail the other day from the store I bought my FN P9 at, Red's Trading Post, here in Twin. FNH USA was sending some sales reps to the store for a special FN sale. There was a drawing to enter - for an FN P90 - and prize give-aways. My first thought was the FN hat I really wanted when I bought my pistol (that they didn't have, they gave me a hat with the store's name on it instead). Wouldn't it be nice if I could walk in and win that cool hat?
So, I handed the flier to C when he came home. He studied it for a moment, then suggested he take off work that morning so we could go. I was a little surprised, but still optimistic about my hat, I agreed. Turns out, with a few errands to run this morning anyway, it was nice that he had already arranged to take the morning off.
So we walked into the store, which was bustling for 9:30am on a weekday, and nearly every spare salesman there turns to watch us walk up to the counter. One man in particular stood out. He was wearing an FN polo and standing there like a king on his pedastle. He reached over to shake my hand and asked if I was familiar with FN. I smiled and told him I actually own a FN P9, and I've been very pleased with it. He asked how long I'd had it. Since April. Where did I buy it? Here. "Get this girl a hat and a shirt!" He reached to the shelves behind the counter and slapped a hat on the display case. "Here you go!" (The shirt never did materialize, but I got my hat without even trying!)
I turned back to C then and said, "Actually, we're looking for a 1911 for him." The FN guy, unshaken, insisted we look at the FN .45 before we check out the 1911s. Fine by us. C wasn't as impressed with it as he was with one of the 1911s they put in his hands (the regular Red's Trading Post people started slipping him 1911s to look at, casting wary looks at the FN rep, who eventually retreated).
When I finally got to handle the FN .45, I discovered the grip was quite large for my hand. My fingers are actually quite long, my hands almost as large as C's, so it was odd for me not to be able to get my grip around something. That's when one of the guys asked my permission to correct my grip. Now, I'm new at all this shooting stuff, so I agreed. What have I got to lose? He went on to show me how he thinks I ought to hold the gun. I watched what he showed me, then tried to explain the trouble I'd had with my gun double loading if I held it similar to the hold he was showing me. He said he understood, but he's taught women to shoot before, and if I hold my gun just so ... I won't have any problem. I'm anxious now to get out and shoot again and see if it actually works.
We went on to our next errand, C wondering aloud about getting the FN .45. Like any big purchase, we have an agreement that we don't just walk in and buy something. We leave the store, talk about it, and come back later if we really want it. The price they'd quoted us at the store was nearly $200 off what we'd seen on the internet, so we knew it was a good deal. And they said they'd throw in a hat and shirt for him, too, which is a dumb thing really, but it makes me excited. But as the day went on, reason slowly took over again, and we came to the conclusion that, although it would be lots of fun, and in spite of the amazing price they were offering, we were better off not buying the gun. Especially because C said if he bought the FN .45 now, he'd still want a 1911 one day, and the 1911s were not on sale.
Poor C. At least I got my hat, right?
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