When I was 13 my mom woke me up and handed me the .410 shotgun.
“Gary is beating your sister again and we are stopping him for good. I don’t want to kill him but he is a black belt. If he doesn’t let your sister leave when I tell him then you may have to shoot him. Do you think you can do that? If you don’t think you can do it tell me now.”
“Why do I have to shoot him mom?”
“You are 13, if you shoot him you will get out of jail pretty quickly if they even charge you. If I do it you may lose your mom for a long time. But if you think you can’t do it tell me now.”
“I’ll do it if you tell me to Mom”
We went to my sister’s house and Gary came out.
“I’ll beat her if I want. She’s mine and you can’t stop me.”
“Give me my daughter or else.”
“Or else what?”
“Or else Nancy will shoot you.”
“Shoot me! That gun is as big as your daughter. Go the hell away.”
“Nancy shoot over his head.”
I’m thinking the last time I shot the shotgun it knocked me on my ass.
What is she thinking? If I shoot over his head I’ll fall down. Then what will we do? Still this is Mom so here goes.
I shot over his head and I was so freaked out I stayed upright for the first time.
“The next time I tell her to shoot it won’t be over your head.”
“The women in your family are crazy. Take your goddamn daughter and get out. I never want to see your daughter again.”
My sister comes out with my niece and they get in the car.
“What the hell mom. What if Nancy had just wounded him or if he had attacked her?”
My mom pulled the 45 from her big purse.
“If he had went towards any of you he would be dead now. No one hurts my kids.”
What does it feel like to have a mom?
It feels like safety and comfort, security and love. My mom would have done anything for us kids.
I miss her every day.
This is the story which happened during 1970s.
My gratitude to Ms.Nancy Olson of North Dakota for sharing her story.
My gratitude to millions of moms who have inspired people like us.
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