What Is The Sound of a Late Student Knocking?

Today was one of my first firearms/gunshot wounds lectures.  I’m particularly sensitive about it, considering how the business school got shot up several years ago.  As a forensic pathologist, or an emergency room physician, a knowledge of trauma is important.  I started target shooting several years ago, because I wanted to learn more about my work.

Now, I find it relaxing.  You have to be so mindful of safety when your shooting, it concentrates the mind wonderfully.  In the far East, some Zen practitioners use archery, I use a little Browning 22. I was also a history minor in college, and I’m interested in some of the artifacts.  When well cared for, they last.  I’m considering getting a collection of WWII battle rifles.  Camp Perry is within a reasonable distance.

The students come in, and I lock the door.  Then the stragglers start to come in.  They knock.  An student in the room lets them in.  Finally, I say enough.  The door’s locked for a reason.  I reminded people to be on time for these lectures.   But one straggler can see through the window, and keeps knocking.  I can see the present students shaking their heads, but the knocking continues for five minutes.

I get irritated enough to let the late person in.  With pointed comments about being late, and needing to have control of the room when we’re working with such a sensitive subject.  I then notice the cardboard with which I can block the window.

We still get knocks, which is now about halfway through the class.  I must say that the stragglers are nothing if not persistent.  Not punctual, but they are persistent.  I manage to go over the basics of firearms, the history of firearms, and the terminology of firearms and the very basic rudiments of safe gun handling (Cooper’s four rules).

There’s more than one hour’s worth of material there.  I’m also hoping there will be an improvement in punctuality.