Sunday, April 13, 2014

Would You Actually 'Take a Bullet'?

A favorite line oft quoted by characters in film and television and even in real life is "I'd take a bullet for you." But do you think someone actually means it or are they being hyperbolic? If you were faced with an actual scenario in which you had to leap in front of a crazed gunman to save someone's life, would you actually do it? If you would, who would be the recipient of such largesse? 

One would assume that you'd only take a bullet for someone very special and not the random Joe Blow on the streets. Goodness knows, if I'm jumping in front of a gun, it's only for someone special. I've thought long a hard about this question and I think that I would actually jump in front of a bullet for a couple of specific people in my life. Not many, mind you, but there are a few. Once upon a time, I definitely would have been the bullet-proof vest for the 'one who broke my heart' and truth be known I probably would still take one to this day despite all that has happened. I would take one for my eldest brother but probably not for any of my other siblings. I would dive in front of a gunman to protect my aunts. There are a number of friends and other family members that I'd take a bullet for - provided that it was in the leg or the arm and not the chest or head.  :-D  That's about it though. I don't think I could be a Secret Service agent because I would not take a bullet for any President. Nor could I be a body guard for someone famous or infamous. I'm not taking a bullet for Justin Bieber. NO WAY, NO HOW. You couldn't pay me enough to do that job! There you have it: my very short, very specific list of people for whom I would literally take a bullet, but I do so very much admire the ones who do take bullets for complete strangers: military, police, federal agents, secret service, etc. They are brave souls.

How about you? Would you actually take a bullet for someone else? 

I found this quote and realized how appropriate it is for my life:
'Nuff said.

5 comments:

Tom said...

Wow. First, I would definitely take one for you too. I'd also would take one for family and non-family alike no matter how unworthy they may be to deserve such a sacrifice. I guess I'm just one of those take-charge, officious types. After all, the fate of the world does rest on my shoulders. (I’m not egocentric. I leave that for the famous, near-famous and infamous.) Which brings me to my next point. I agree with you. I wouldn’t take one for any government official or any that fall in those categories I just mentioned except if it were to save the world. Remember my earlier declaration. I have one stipulation that differs from yours. There are plenty who I would push or pull into the path of said bullet. I wouldn’t necessarily wield the gun that fires that bullet, but if someone who deserves to take a bullet just happens to fall into its path; so be it. Who am I to derail fate’s destructive train? Oooh, I’m just so f*****g literary today. I am just a pawn. A catalyst. An agent of fate. I’d use more allegory, metaphors, pathos, euphemisms, amplification and alliteration in my writing if I knew what the hell any of those things meant. As if I could actually write anything more than just rambling BS that leaks from my mind like a broken faucet to my arthritic ridden fingers. I'm not sure but I think that's some kind of run-on sentence. But you get my gist. Longer story shorter...there are few and yet many that I would take a piece of hot lead, silver, tungsten or ice. Yes, ice bullets. The perfect murder. Mwha-ha-ha!!!

Sandi said...

LMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! First, if you were in my classroom, you would know exactly what all those literary terms mean. Go back to Twin Valley and return your diploma. Second, I agree. I have a bunch of people that I would push in front of the bullet, but I was trying to be nice. Lastly, ice bullets have been busted on Mythbusters. They don't work. Nice rant though. Glad you'd take one for me. See, I'd be pushing our siblings in front of the bullets - not taking one, which I suppose makes you the better sibling. But we already knew that!

Tom said...

I'd like to defend my diploma. Twin Valley was a cow pasture school and not a real HS. I learned nothing. In its defense today, nearly 40 years later, it has improved vastly. Back then, it graduated mostly farmers. And I only attended that horrible venue for my Senior year because your siblings' parents moved us into the middle of East Jabip, better known as BFE.

Sandi said...

Okay, I'll grant you all of that. What about your previous schools? Satellite High? East Brunswick? :-)

Tom said...

Those places don't exist. You just made them up. C'mon! Stop putting me on. I wasn't interested in 'riting when I was younger. Just readin' and 'rithmetic.