another

visibly having trouble restraining a smile. "Sure, why not. Sergeant, have 'em stand up a target on this lane and set it for automatic reset." (Who says the gods don't have a sense of humor . . . ?)
I took up my stance. Rather than the wimpy one-handed pistol stance shown in "the book," I use the solid two-handed "Weaver stance." The first round thumped into the backstop one hundred meters away, a little high, I knew, because I saw the dirt fly.
Gary called out, "Looks like it was just over the shoulder on the left."
So I dropped the sights to the lower right-hand corner of the target and squeezed again, and this time when the pistol came down from recoiling the target was falling. Three seconds later the target had reset; in another three, it was down again.
While waiting for the target to reset for the fourth shot, it occurred to me that I had a golden opportunity to correct not only the lieutenant's misapprehension; but potentially even to send a message concerning common-sense methods back up the chain of command.
Twenty dollars isn't much of a lesson. . . .
Carefully I planted the fourth shot in the backstop to one side of the target; then pushed the safety up and lowered the pistol. Glancing over my shoulder, I said, "Sergeant, you are splitting that twenty dollars with me, aren't you?"
The sergeant's smile reminded me of a TV minister reviewing his ratings. "Long as you share it with the boys."
"Lieutenant, sir, how much is it worth to you for me to miss this next one?"
Donaldson snorted. "Soldier, I hardly think two hits out of four are reason to gloat."
"Double or nothing, sir?" Richard Nixon would have been proud to claim the look of wide-eyed innocence I achieved at that moment.
"You're on!"
I let my face relax into a grin. I slipped off the safety, took careful aim, and pulled the trigger.
While watching the lieutenant dig out his money, I noticed that Crater was handing a few bills to Simpkins. "You asshole," I blurted indignantly, "you bet against me!"
He grinned. "No, you sorry shit. I bet you'd hit four."
The lieutenant watched the sergeant hand me a twenty. He looked around thoughtfully;