HARD WORK PAYS OFF
(This is the second part of a story posted earlier.)
Well, he worked on that bow for days. He started with the butter knife he had requested. However, after struggling for a few hours, I felt he earned the right to step up to a real knife. I brought him a good sharp knife and instructed him on how to safely use it.
After a few days he was convinced it was ready and he came to me. He asked me to look it over and let him know if it was good enough. Well, I knew from the get go, the stick wouldn't work. However I wanted to know if he had the perserverance to complete it...and he had.
Before i was able to think of a way to break the bad news to him,he said," We'll have to have Tony look at it to see if it will work."
In my mind I thanked him for unknowingly letting me off the hook.
So, I called that bow making friend of mine and told him of the situation. He told me to go ahead and come down an assured me all would go well. "There will be no disappointment," he said,"I promise."
So we loaded up and away we headed. To a place where time, occasionally, seems to get stuck in a different era. One where it's easy to forget about all our modern day worries and woes. A place where loved ones are always front and center.
After a good long drive we arrived at Tony's house. Evan grabbed his bow and we headed to the house. We were greated at the front door by his pit bull pup. She's just a couple of years old and as playful as when she was six months. As we walked in I saw Evans eyes light up. It was always exciting for him to be there. This time was different however.
He walked immediately over to Tony to show off his craftsmanship. Tony looked over at me and I grinned. He and Evan looked over the bow as my son told the story of it's creation.
Tony told him how beautiful of a job he had done. Then gently worked into the details of why the piece of wood was flawed and wouldn't work, all the while complimenting him on his hard work.
I could tell Evan was disappointed even though he was trying not to let on. "All that work, all those days, wasted." I could hear the words through the expression on his face and the defeat in his eyes.
About the time I thought that that defeat was turning to tears I drifted back into the conversation i had lost track of...
"Hard work always pays off son," I heard Tony saying. "I've got a gift for you my little friend."
As he walked off into a back room Evan looked at me lost in excitement. As Tony walked back into the room all Evans attention shifted to whatever it was Tony was holding behind his back.
As Tony approached him and took his hand from behind his back, Evan's excitement returned two fold because Tony had returned with a homemade bow for him.
They went over safety aspects of using it. Along with different pointers to help him get started. All the while Evan listened intently. Taking in everything that was said. Shortly after all the formalities Tony directed Evan over to a hallway(shooting lane).
Evan looked up at him and asked, "Are we going to shoot it in here?"
"Yep," Tony said, " And don't worry if you miss. All you'll do is put a hole in the wall. And as you can see my kids miss pretty regular."
Evan pulled out a smile that went from one ear to the other and got in position. Tony guided him through the basics and let him go on his own.
Well let me tell you, he was a natural. His first three arrows went straight to the target. Then on his fourth he got to see it actually didn't matter if he hit the wall.
After a couple more rounds, it was time for Evan to get a tour of the process to make bows, arrows, and arrow heads.
What was originally intended to be an hour long visit quickly turned into three. And as I told Evan it was time to get going he was brought back down to earth...He was actually going to have to leave. We said said our good byes and thanked him for his graciousness and generosity. We then made our way back to our place.
On the ride home we made plans on when and where we would shot. We talked about getting targats and arrows. And obviously because he's a seven year old boy and we live where we do, we talked about what he thought his first kill would be. He said a rabbit and I bet him it's a squirrel. I don't believe there was a minute of silence that whole ride home.
When we got home and were walking to the house, Evan said, "Dad, you know what?"
I looked at him holding his newly acquired equipment as though it was a great treasure. I said, "What's that bubba?"
"You know what,"he asked as he took a short pause, "Hard work pays off Dad."
I watched him as he looked down at his gift, smiled and said,"Yeah it sure does. Do you know what else pays off buddy? Having good friends."
"Yeah, it sure does," he returned smiling, "Tony's the best."
HERE ARE A FEW MORE PICTURES FROM OUR TOUR
Ohhhhh yeah
after a week, the first thing on my list is catching up and reading all your new posts :-)
Brother, I've missed you so much. I read through your post about resteem club. I've always been against the Bots. It really seemed like they create a problem. But I read you talking about the whitelist and Blacklist and how pots can be positive. Truthfully, it sounds like you've done a whole lot more research on that than me. I've just been going at it old school, doing what I can. But you make me think, can there be some good and some of these Bots. I say this because, recently I have discovered Gina bot. She doesn't do votes or anything, and you may already know about her. But she gives me notifications for all kinds of stuff. So, she helps me be able to thank every new follower I get and never miss an upvote. Plus, she's the reason I knew you were back so quick. Anyway, since you've been gone I've met a lot of new friends that are also really cool. But we'll have to talk more later it's been a crazy couple of days for me. I hope you enjoy what I put out since you've been gone. I've been trying. All my love to you brother And all of yours. And may our creator bless yous.
I've missed you brother, your blog is my second routine after publishing my posts, I so happy for you I see your progress on steemit and it just makes me feel so good that good content creators and good people like you on steemit are on their way to become a whale, a week ago you just hit 100 now you getting near 200 and your reputation from 30 went to 40.
I see you are doing well brother. That makes me so happy. Are you still going to be able to do your GIFS and Steemians facts? I hope so, but if not, maybe you can show me the ways of the Porsche. I could be your padawan.😁
honestly, since I released the tool, till now I answering comments, and feedback from the site, + a lot of people adding new services, got me really busy I updating the site, I didn't expect that but so many people are interested in this project it becomes a hit and my reasonability to keep updating it and make it better, but I plan to release today animation post, but a little bit different this time it's a steemit sci-fi story about evil corporation and underground steemit resistance.
You can insert pics in those paragraphs either align right, left or center to break the monotony of the article.
I can tell Tony is such an effective teacher. He was patient with your son and how he does not want to disappoint. He is such a good friend.
Thank you so much for that tip. I will try it on my next post. I'll let you know, however, I may be getting back with you with questions about it. 😁 I will talk at you later. And I hope you have an awesome day. All of my love to you and all of yours.
Sure thing. For starters, if you want to insert photo on the left type
If right, just change the word left to right.
👍Oh yeah!! Watch out for me now!😁
Haha! I sure will. Also, I use Canva in editing and collaging some of my pics. It's a free online editing tool. I edit my photos there and download as jpg then upload it here. I use the templates and customize it. Good luck!
Such an amazing craft. You have done this many times before.
Simply a beautiful bonding time between you and your son.
I really love you wrote that. Tony is another amazing guy that knows that to handle children. It is a touching story with so much love in the air.
Really hard work pays off.
Have a great weekend. :)
Did you make these tips yourself? Of silicon? That's cool! I remember that we used to insert a nail in the childhood, we made the tips out of tin, but there was nobody to teach us from silicon ...
These tips, are the exact same type that were used by our Native Americans. They are made from various types of rocks. Some are volcanic obsidian, chert rock, Flint Rock and a few others. They're the same types of rocks that the Indians used. Different tribes of Indians made different types of arrowheads and some arrowheads were made specifically to kill different types of animals. The form of the rocks, you use the bottom of a deer antler and other types of rocks to Chip Away the pieces and form the arrowhead. It truly is an interesting Hobby. The picture below is of an arrow that was actually used to kill a whitetail deer in America here. The end of it broke off upon hitting the deer bone.
