Sorry I Missed You

A few weeks ago while assisting a couple new "students" in their vocational training at the thrift store a large donation of miscellaneous goods came in packaged in several boxes.  One of the first things that's done is that each box is looked over quickly to determine what process location destination it meets.  One box in particular consisted of a variety of hardware type goods, fixtures, tools, etc.  In this box was an item that caught the eye of one of the students who I'll call "Kyle".  Kyle proceeded to commence digging through the box at which time I asked him to stack the box and continue with moving the remaining boxes to their respective areas.

Upon completion of that task everyone went back to their work stations.  I went about making my rounds through processing and the stores floors making sure everyone was on task.  A few minutes later I was called to take a donation phone call and returned back to the process area.  In walking into the area I noticed Kyle was back in the area where we had just stacked the drop-off donation, so I shouted his name and went on to take the call that was holding.  I completed the call and went over to ask Kyle what it was that had  (understand that some of these students have just enrolled in the program in hope to rehab from drugs and/or alcohol and often "dig" through boxes in hopes of finding a pack of smokes, alcohol, anything.) him snooping and intrigued with that given box.  He stated as most do with "nothing?".  I told him to return to his work station in which he promptly did and we went back to work.  Again I did a walk through the store and returned to the process area.  I stepped over to check on one of the newer students and as I conversed with the student I heard Kyle walk up behind me and ask "hey, what's th...", then instantly without warning heard "BOOM!".  I just about jumped out of my shoes at the sound then spun around to see WTH just went off not 3 feet from my person to see him standing there with a stunned ghost white expression on his face and what appeared at first glance a writing pen on the floor at his feet.

Immediately I shouted wth are you doing?????  I then looked around the room to see if everyone was ok and that no one had been hurt.  What Kyle found in that box and had no idea that what he held in his hand was a "Pen Gun" loaded with a slug equivalent to a .44 caliber bullet, cocked and ready to fire.  It was that which caught his eye, that which he took from the box, and that which he cupped it in his hand and proceeded to walk towards me to ask "hey, what's this?", but tripped the firing pin before finishing the question.  The good Lord was watching over us that day as anyone of us could have been hit with devastating consequences.  Fortunately for everyone the round went off and lodged itself in the 12 inch thick ceiling of the building.  Kyle was quite shaken once it dawned on him that he could have killed anyone of us with his careless actions.  He was quite remorseful and apologized continuously throughout the remainder of the day.  Over the following few days the incident took a lighter turn and Kyle was teased, jokes made, and the likes.  Although it turned more lighthearted and no one was hurt, it was by all means very serious.  

One morning shortly thereafter my attempted assassination, lol, Kyle came up to me holding something behind his back which immediately made me suck up my shorts and said "Hey, I just wanted to let you know how bad I still feel about what happened" and presented me with this...

L'MAO!