Defender of the Constitution

It was a one way road. Once you start down this road, there is no turning back.

He had never even held a gun in his life. What’s the point, they don’t have any practical value. Then he started paying attention to the talk. Everywhere he went, someone was talking about protecting the second amendment. “They can’t take our guns.” He heard it over and over again. The customers in Wal-Mart, where he worked, TV shows, news reports – it was everywhere.

He studied the constitution in school, but he didn’t remember exactly what was in the second amendment. So a quick search of the internet produced the text. He couldn’t quite understand what it said or what it meant. Something about giving guns to militias.

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

But based on what he was hearing, the second amendment must mean more than just militias.

He started to develop the belief that owning a gun wasn’t just a right granted by the constitution, it was an American’s responsibility to own a gun – an obligation. So he made it his mission to help uphold the constitution of The United States of America. He went to the gun shop.

“What exactly are you looking for?” The plaid-shirted gun shop owner asked.

“A gun.”

“No shit, Einstein. What kind of gun?”

“What do you recommend?”

“Depends on what you want to do. What is it? Pheasant? Quail? Big game? Home protection? What?”

“Protect the constitution.” Came the sober reply.

“Well let’s start you out with a Browning 243. Good starter rifle.”

“OK, I’ll take it.”

“Not so fast. We have some paperwork to fill out. I’ll call you if you’re approved.”

But it was that simple. Two days later, he was a proud protector of the constitution. A Second Amendment gun owner. “They can’t take our guns away.” Through some web browsing, he found a picture of Charleton Heston holding a rifle, “From my cold, dead hands.” Read the caption. The words echoed in his head.

Defend the constitution. His new mission. He never discussed it with his workmates at Wal-Mart. This was a private mission. He wanted to tell Debbie, but she was a bitch. She never gave him the time of day. He definitely wasn’t going to tell Rhonda, she was a slut. He remembered what the guys in the coffee room had said. “What’s the difference between a bitch and a slut? A slut will sleep with anyone, while a bitch will sleep with anyone but you.”

He still didn’t know how to hold a gun. The directions that came with the gun and a web search gave him the basics. He found a lonely country road where he could shoot with no interference – bottles, cans, the odd gopher. Over time he got almost accurate. At the end of his solo practice, he would head home, first along the lonely country road, then to the paved side road which crossed over I-94.

One day he stopped on the overpass and watched the stream of cars passing underneath. He leaned on the railing and thought, “I wonder how many of them want to uphold the constitution. I’ll bet, not many.” Then he drove home.

This became a weekly ritual after his target practice – stopping on the overpass and watching the cars race by. He even started holding the Browning in his hand as he watched and wondered.

Then came the day - the day he was obviously destined for. He watched the cars, while holding his rifle. Then he brought the gun to the firing position, pointed it at the traffic, aimed and squeezed the trigger. POP. This was his first, but not his last. There was no turnaround on this road.

Paul Stuart Williams, defender of The Constitution of the United States of America.


(657 words) - note: the name is completely made up and bears no resemblance to anyone alive or dead.