3-Year Old Knox Boy Protects Family With Tommy Gun

Recently my dad was visiting with my aunt Barbara and came across some old pictures that she had. He borrowed them for me to scan in and save. I had never seen any of them and was so thrilled to get a piece of my past!

I found one constant theme in the pictures of me. I am usually holding some kind of toy gun. Some, I have an imitation "Tommy Gun," and in others I'm brandishing nickel plated pistols. I've written before about my growing up getting guns as Christmas presents. It used to be a pretty common thing. Of course I grew up watching Gunsmoke on television and my dad always loved the old Westerns. I played Cowboys and Indians a lot when I was young.

Things sure have changed since those days. Kids nowadays would rather get video games or some other electronic toy or gadget. They have taken the imagination plumb out of growing up. Young boys probably couldn't even tell you anything about Cowboys and Indians, let alone pretend to be one. I guess I'm showing my age. Before you know it, I'll be going around saying things like, "I used to walk back and forth to school barefooted through the snow, uphill both ways!" Well, I didn't have to do that, but, I could fill up a book of all of the way things "used to be."

Now, about that sissy looking outfit my mother dressed me in...