Photo courtesy of Jacqueline “Jackie Jet” Hakes Brix

My old friend in Thailand, Charoen is a great guy.

Back in the day we had many fun adventures flying together at the Thai Flying Club.  We even flew together on the great “Hong Kong to (almost) Beijing Air Rally.”  I think I actually showed him his first aileron roll in the Robin.

P’Charoen (a respectful form of address meaning “Older Brother”) runs a successful business painting really big commercial buildings in and around Bangkok.  His wife is a lovely, accomplished lady who is tolerant of P’Charoen’s somewhat “mischievous” ways when out with the boys.

One day, we were talking at the flying club and he mentioned taking his wife to the range and teaching her to shoot pistols.  Knowing P’Charoen as I do, I half-kiddingly asked him if he really thought that was a good idea.

His response astounded me.  (translated from Thai and a twenty-year-old memory).  He put his arm around my shoulder for a big brotherly lecture on one of the important things for a man to know:

Carl, you must understand that the female of the species does not think like we do.

If a woman gets really mad, she might shoot the gun just to scare you.  If she does that, you want her to shoot accurately or you might accidentally become paralyzed.

Or if she’s really, REALLY angry and decides to shoot you, but only means to injure you to teach you a lesson, you want her to shoot accurately so you don’t become injured too badly.

Or paralyzed…

And if you’ve really done it, and she’s had it to the point she really wants to kill you, well of course you want her to shoot accurately.

So you don’t become paralyzed!

I don’t know if my friend’s Thai/Asian flavored theory on the thought processes of women are really accurate or not, but I’m teaching Helen to shoot and encouraging her to practice as often as possible.

Just in case…