Bob Wright
Hawkeye
As I sat at Bobby's funeral today, listening to a preacher telling what a good man he had been, my mind dwelt on some of the stories Bobby shared with me. At that time, Bobby was Range Officer at the Shelby County Public shooting range. His "office" was a small building, maybe 8' x 10', located at mid point of the firing line, with windows to provide a view of the firing line. A shelf along three sides was his "desk."
I went in one day and saw a small auto pistol on the desk, I recognized it as a Remington .380 Model 51 of WW I vintage. Now, Bobby never allowed firearms in the office unless he himself had cleared it. So I asked about it.
Bobby said a man came to the range one day in the week with a pistol wrapped in an oily rag, and asked Bobby if he could tell him about it. Unwrapping the pistol, Bobby told the owner what it was, then told him it was of some value as a collector, and would be a good idea to never carry nor fire it, but provide a good place for display or safe keeping.
The man thanked him for the information, then added, "Since you have such an appreciation for this, I'll just give it to you. You'll appreciate more than any of our family members."
Bobby protested, but finally accepted the pistol with his usual grace.
Then he told me the man's name. It was Arthur Seesel. Seesel's was an old name in Memphis grocery stores, being a cut above the average grocery store in purveying fine meats and exotic foods and spices not found in most stores of the day.
Bob Wright
I went in one day and saw a small auto pistol on the desk, I recognized it as a Remington .380 Model 51 of WW I vintage. Now, Bobby never allowed firearms in the office unless he himself had cleared it. So I asked about it.
Bobby said a man came to the range one day in the week with a pistol wrapped in an oily rag, and asked Bobby if he could tell him about it. Unwrapping the pistol, Bobby told the owner what it was, then told him it was of some value as a collector, and would be a good idea to never carry nor fire it, but provide a good place for display or safe keeping.
The man thanked him for the information, then added, "Since you have such an appreciation for this, I'll just give it to you. You'll appreciate more than any of our family members."
Bobby protested, but finally accepted the pistol with his usual grace.
Then he told me the man's name. It was Arthur Seesel. Seesel's was an old name in Memphis grocery stores, being a cut above the average grocery store in purveying fine meats and exotic foods and spices not found in most stores of the day.
Bob Wright
