In front of both our wives my father makes me promise not to sell the cache of guns I’ll inherit from him when he dies. He’s recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer. “At least don’t sell them immediately,” he says. “They’re an investment.” He says one day, just maybe, I might regret not having an array of firearms with which to defend myself. Then the waiter comes to take our order.

Originally published Winter 2022 in Salt Hill Journal, Issue 47.

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