The two faces of Modernism: Construction and Destruction or Frank Lloyd Wright and Guns

America and guns. You can’t have one without the other. This is what we were waiting for. Our host C owns over 70 handguns, rifles and shotguns. On Thursday we got to shoot us some guns. We drove about an hour out of town to a “sportsman’s club” and had the range to ourselves.



Here’s the list of firearms we had in the trunk of the car:
Ruger Mark 1 .22 Caliber
Colt Trooper .22
Walther PPK .380
CZ 75 9mm
Lueger 9mm
Smith Wesson 27 Magnum .357
Ruger Super Blackhawk 44 Magnum
AK 47 manufactured by Norinco, Peoples Republic of China (however, the stock was made in the U.S.A.)



C gave us a primer on firearms before we fired our first shot with the Ruger Mark 1. After we worked our way slowly but surely up towards larger caliber guns, we proceeded to hit targets at 50 and 100 yards.

It takes a lot of practice to hit a small target like a bunny or chipmunk at 100 yards. The bunnies (provided by a local breeder) were easier to hit because they tend to sit still. They only moved when they heard the shot and then they didn’t move fast or very far. A cocky chipmunk provided more of a challenge after we became comfortable with certain guns. The little fellow seemed to have lost his fear of humans and guns.



I was always keen on firing a 9mm such as a Glock. C doesn’t own a Glock but he owns a CZ 9mm. B was keen on firing the Walther PPK. However, after a day on the range I preferred the AK 47. That preference might make me a Commie. B preferred the Smith and Wesson 27 .357. If B were a cop, that preference may indicate a tendency to flout rules and regulations, thus unintentionally saving the taxpayer money by alleviating court and imprisonment costs. I’ll let B speak on the .357’s merits;

“I find the Magnum to be aesthetically pleasing, punk! And sliding the bullets into the cylinders has a certain sensual je ne sais quois about it, punk! The Magnum exemplifies the modernist principle, form follows function, punk! This is a gun that knows what it is, punk! It feels good in the hand, sounds great and has a unmistakable recoil, punk! It made my day!”

The Walther PPK was the runner up for both of us. Now we know why James Bond likes to keep this baby tucked in his tuxedo.

After a fun day of shooting, nothing hits the spot better than bunny stew with chipmunk kebab.



Falling Water, is a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in the late 30's, for the Kaufman family. Located in Pennsylvania, it was about a two-hour drive east of Youngstown, OH. Our hosts drove us down on Wednesday. I could easily get used to living in such nice digs. However, it would take longer to get used to the sound of the water flowing in the stream underneath.