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Monday, October 24, 2011

Why I don't need to use illegal mood-altering substances.

This is an example of a random afternoon conversation in the Charming-Mercury household.

Me, arms full of clean laundry. I shout downstairs. "Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be an arms dealer?"

The Charming Man in the kitchen. "No."

Pause.

The Charming Man. "Is there something you need to tell me?"

Me, standing over the bannister, holding clean sheets.  "I just wonder if it would be a good career. You never run out of market. It's recession-proof. There is always new stock being developed and you don't have to pay for the R&D."

The Charming Man, being logical.  "I doubt you'd like your clientele much. And you'd have to learn about guns."

Me: "Yeah, that would be far too much work. I certainly couldn't make a living off of selling pointy sticks."

***

But now I'm stuck wondering what kind of person goes into the arms trade? The stereotype is that of a selfish, thoughtless person. Would he or she be redeemable? What motivates them to enter this job? Why deal in the business of war at all?

And this is why I don't do drugs. I think like this all the time. :)

6 comments:

  1. Well, I've always wondered why you didn't do drugs. LOL. Now I know. Actually, I think for some people the career reasons are what they've always been. I'm a hunter I like guns, therefore I sell them. I inherited the business from my father. It was the only job available that paid decently and I had a payment on my double wide due. Guns make me hot. You know, the standard stuff. I don't think of them as being selfish necessarily. However, I just watched the run-away jury again last night. So I'd have to throw in money as a big motivating factor. Just my thoughts

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  2. Bless your Charming Man often for providing a practical point of conflict. Being an arms dealer could be a great passion but the characters we have to deal with...

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  3. Hey! That's why I don't do drugs either. Have you watched "Breaking Bad?" It might give you some ideas.

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  4. @Nancy- Sounds like the motivations for this career are much like the motivations for most careers. I just can't see little Tammy saying, "I wanna be a weapons dealer when I grow up, because I think it makes the world a better place."

    @Therese - I'm so tempted to write a heroine who deals guns.....

    @Amy - Thanks for the suggestion! I am going to get Lord of War from Netflix, too. This is just too wild of an idea to not go with. :)

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  5. The Charming Mother-in-LawOctober 25, 2011 at 7:44 PM

    You two are too funny! Where does this stuff come from?

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  6. @Charming Mother in Law - Well, you know where your son gets it from. As for me - my brain is just that strange of a place. :)

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