“Do you want to check this one? There are no bullets in it. It can’t hurt you.” Ernest handed him the rifle. “Just because everybody in town thinks I’m crazy, is no sign that I am.”
“What are you going to do with them? Isn’t it illegal to have this many guns?” He asked and took the rifle, looked at it before placing it on the sofa with the other ones.
“It’s not illegal to have guns. No one’s fired these in more than fifty years. How do you like my collection?”
“They’re nice, I like them.”
Once he placed the guns on the sofa. Ernest began removing old knives from the trunk and placed them on the sofa alongside the guns. The more knives he removed, the more it shocked Justin. When Ernest saw the expression on his face, he asked, “Are you okay?”
“I’m all right. That’s more guns and knives than I’ve ever seen,” Justin said with a lump in his throat. “What are you going to do with them?” “I’m a collector,” he said, picking up a pocketknife. “Do you think your parents would let you have it?” “Are you kidding?” Justin said. “My parents and my mother, in particular, would have a stroke if I accepted that.” “What if I gave it to you and no one knew about it,” Ernest said, handing him the knife. “Thank you,” he said and gave the old man a hug. “I could tell my dad, but not my mom.” “Maybe you shouldn’t tell him. Let’s keep this between us for the time being,” Ernest said. “Are you okay with that?” “Sure, I won’t say anything,” he promised, holding the knife in his hand. “Are you okay?” Ernest asked. “Yeah.” “Justin, stay right here. I’ll be back,” Ernest said, leaving the room. A few minutes later, Ernest returned carrying a child’s shoebox and placed it on the table. “I’m going to show you all the money I have in the house, just in case your friends decide to rob me. This is just about what they’ll get,” he said as he dumped a large pile of coins and two crumpled one-dollar bills on the table. Staring at the large pile of mixed coins, with dirt packed on one side of many of them, Justin was certain Ernest …show more content…
How do you live without electricity?”
“I’ve got candles and a battery operated light to see my way around in the dark,” Ernest boasted.
“I don’t understand how you live without a TV? That’s not possible. How do you stay in here when they turn off your electricity?” According to his mother, Ernest lived alone in the house and no one ever visited him. His mother’s knowledge of his activities puzzled him. “I suppose you know you aren’t in any danger coming in here.” “I should go on home,” Justin said. “I don’t want to get in trouble with my mom. My parents don’t like you, but I do.”
“Would you tell me why?” Ernest asked, hoping to hear a different reason why Louise didn’t like him.
“Well, I can’t remember all the reasons, but Mom said some nasty things about you.” Justin stuttered, “She said you’re crazy, and it’s dangerous for me to be with you. Some people said you cook and eat our pets while other people said, you keep prisoners in the
“What are you going to do with them? Isn’t it illegal to have this many guns?” He asked and took the rifle, looked at it before placing it on the sofa with the other ones.
“It’s not illegal to have guns. No one’s fired these in more than fifty years. How do you like my collection?”
“They’re nice, I like them.”
Once he placed the guns on the sofa. Ernest began removing old knives from the trunk and placed them on the sofa alongside the guns. The more knives he removed, the more it shocked Justin. When Ernest saw the expression on his face, he asked, “Are you okay?”
“I’m all right. That’s more guns and knives than I’ve ever seen,” Justin said with a lump in his throat. “What are you going to do with them?” “I’m a collector,” he said, picking up a pocketknife. “Do you think your parents would let you have it?” “Are you kidding?” Justin said. “My parents and my mother, in particular, would have a stroke if I accepted that.” “What if I gave it to you and no one knew about it,” Ernest said, handing him the knife. “Thank you,” he said and gave the old man a hug. “I could tell my dad, but not my mom.” “Maybe you shouldn’t tell him. Let’s keep this between us for the time being,” Ernest said. “Are you okay with that?” “Sure, I won’t say anything,” he promised, holding the knife in his hand. “Are you okay?” Ernest asked. “Yeah.” “Justin, stay right here. I’ll be back,” Ernest said, leaving the room. A few minutes later, Ernest returned carrying a child’s shoebox and placed it on the table. “I’m going to show you all the money I have in the house, just in case your friends decide to rob me. This is just about what they’ll get,” he said as he dumped a large pile of coins and two crumpled one-dollar bills on the table. Staring at the large pile of mixed coins, with dirt packed on one side of many of them, Justin was certain Ernest …show more content…
How do you live without electricity?”
“I’ve got candles and a battery operated light to see my way around in the dark,” Ernest boasted.
“I don’t understand how you live without a TV? That’s not possible. How do you stay in here when they turn off your electricity?” According to his mother, Ernest lived alone in the house and no one ever visited him. His mother’s knowledge of his activities puzzled him. “I suppose you know you aren’t in any danger coming in here.” “I should go on home,” Justin said. “I don’t want to get in trouble with my mom. My parents don’t like you, but I do.”
“Would you tell me why?” Ernest asked, hoping to hear a different reason why Louise didn’t like him.
“Well, I can’t remember all the reasons, but Mom said some nasty things about you.” Justin stuttered, “She said you’re crazy, and it’s dangerous for me to be with you. Some people said you cook and eat our pets while other people said, you keep prisoners in the