I Almost Shot My Eye Out

All I wanted for Christmas was one thing: a BB gun. Every time I brought it up,

the adults said the same thing: “You’ll shoot your eye out.” I dropped hints,

daydreamed about being a hero in my backyard, even wrote it in my school essay.

When Christmas morning came, it looked like I didn't get it. No BB gun… just

sweaters and socks. Then my dad pointed to one last box hidden behind the tree.

Inside was the exact BB gun I’d been begging for. Out in the yard, I lined up my first

shot, heart racing. I pulled the trigger— the BB bounced back, smacked my glasses,

and sent them flying. In that moment I realized… they weren’t exaggerating. I had almost shot