I love the old western series Gunsmoke. I enjoy testing my gun slinging skills with Matt Dillon at the start of  the show. The result is bad for the marshal of Dodge City. I’ve won everyone showdown except three. My secret?

Don’t try to draw first, even when standing your ground. You’ll waste precious moments deciding when to draw and when you do that you’ll find a lead bullet burrowing through your chest. And that’s a bummer. However, when you wait for the other fella to draw your reflexes will take over and you’ll clear leather first.

I got the idea the idea from scientist Niels Bohr and fellow Ph.D.* He loved westerns and enjoyed fake gunfights with his grad students. He won everytime using the above method.

There you have it. There’s no downside to this. The annoying stranger is dead, you’re alive, and he made for his gun first so the killing is in self defense.

And as always, have a nice day.

* = Unfortunately, one of us is not a Nobel Prize winner.

– Paul R. De Lancey,  gunslinger

Check out my latest novel, the Christmas thriller, Beneficial Murders. My books are available in paperpack or Kindle on amazon.com, As an e-book on Nook

or on my website-where you can get a signed copy at: www.lordsoffun.com