Reacquainted with an old friend

Today I found an old friend. She would walk with me in my youth. She taught me responsibility. She sharpened my young eye. I did not baby her but I used her with respect and cared for her. She has been near me for many years now and I knew where she resided. But today I brought her out of the darkness. As I caressed her I smiled as memories paraded by my mind’s eye.
Tin cans surrendered to her. Distant rocks felt her wrath. Pine cones disappeared after feeling her destructive blows and even a hornet’s nest, hanging on a far off strip mine cliff, fell to the torrent of missiles she threw.
“She” is the first rifle I fired and the one I learned to shoot with. She is somewhat of a family heirloom. Originally owned by my Uncle and traded back and forth many times between he and my Dad (who would use it to cull the over population of squirrels that would descend upon his bird feeders every winter.) I remember Dad sneaking around the house corner and sniping the tree rats that would feast on the free offering of nuts and seeds meant for the winged creatures that would tough out the winters cruelty. Waging guerilla warfare with the furry little rodents became a spectacle to my Mother and I and though many rounds were expended towards the crafty foe, few, if any, met their maker at the hands of stealthy hunter. Oh, Dad was a good shot and I’m sure if wanted to, he could have ended the lives of many of the squirrels. No, I’m inclined to believe that after many years of hunting and trapping and living, more or less, on and off the land in his youth, Dad just wanted to give the birds their turn at the provided feast.
I will cherish the rugged and accurate Marlin 81D and when my allotted time has run out, I hope it will stay in the family and passed around between my children and their children to finally rid the world of marauding tin cans and pine cone warriors