It's Here!!
I was born in '55, for a timeline.
I was brat, and coke bottles brought 2 cents each at the Mom&Pop grocery store. Later they would bring 3 pennies each.
In the back of Field & Stream, was this little ad for Hoppe's No. 9 , Mfg by Penguin Industries, for 15 cents one could get a trial sample.
I wanted my very own bottle. With help from a mentor I cut out that little add, and he wrote my name and address on the order form. We taped a dime and and nickle on a Post Card he gave me, and we mailed in for that trial sample of Hoppe's No. 9 , manufactured by Penguin Industries.
That was a lot of money for a wee brat, and I had gathered all them bottles and saved all my money and when asked again "Are you sure you want to spend 15 cents on this?" , I thought long and hard, and said "yes sir, I really do".
Mentor had one of them grins that Mentors have.
I waited and waited and waited - I hoped and hoped everytime I saw the mail-man.
Its Here!! My package had come in.
It was so special. I waited to get help from that Mentor to open that package, I didn't want to mess it up, and it was kinda special having a package delivered to ME!
He carefully used his knife, and opened it. I was afraid I would drop it in trying to get it open, so he cracked it open and with his hands on mine we opened it.
It was just like the Hoppe's No. 9 he had, and everyone else had, just my bottle was smaller and pretty neat for a brat.
I had my very own .22 revolver, so with help and using a glass eyedropper he helped me clean MY gun with MY Hoppe's No. 9.
That was the first and last time I used it. It was that special for a brat like me. So he had this nice wooden box, I do not where he got it, but he carefully sealed up my top, and secured it. He also put the package it came in, inside too. It was packed real good. I put that in a real special secure place.
Then he gave me one of his little bottles to have, about half full. Wow! I had a bottle of my very own , just like he did, and all the other Mentors and folks I knew.
I did not waste mine, we didn't have much money and we took care of stuff. So sometimes I would put one itty bitty drop using a glass eye dropper onto a patch. Just let it waft and be happy.
I would do that sometime at my Mentors as they read Ruark, and his works from a Field & Stream to me, I was not big enough to know how to read.
Mentors would do a drop on a patch, read to me and it was real special...still is to me.
I used their stuff, becuase that was the way they said it was supposed to be, even when I got bigger to have my own stuff.
Today...
I assist with kids , we use Ballistol as it is non-toxic. Some adults have been thru Cancer, or have family have been.
Still there is Hoppe's No. 9 for these kids.
It is not showing Penguin Industries , or the next companies name ( I want to say it was Baldwin Mfg, I can't recall right now) , these bottles I gave the kids have Michaels Of Oregon on them.
They have their very own, and have dispoable pipettes. All the kids, have these in a special box to keep safe and secure all put up. They do not get into them. Adults have some they can use at home, or at the range.
We still open a bottle of Hoppe's No. 9, put some on a patch and I read Ruark's
The Old Man And The Boy to them.
Smells of Freedom, Memories our Future in these young ladies and gentleman and ...
The lights are dimmed, there is big oil lamp next to Uncle Steve on the end of the couch. As the 10 year old sets down a fresh cup of coffee for Uncle Steve, a 6 year old snuggles up to Steve with TOMATB, the new puppy snuggles in the 6 year old lap.
Some kids snuggle to parents, others are on the throw rug on the floor in front of Steve.
Someone puts a drop of Hoppe's No. 9 on a patch in a ashtray up on a shelf. Hoppe's No. 9 wafting in the air...
"The Old Man ain't much to look at...
"Just pick one bird out of a covey...
"Respect the quail..."
Steve