“Shots rang out.”

“Shots rang out?”

I got to thinking about that as I was walking this morning. Don’t ask me why. I assume it’s a cosmic thing.

Anyone familiar with the sound of gunfire knows that shots don’t “ring”. Farookin’ bells ring. And yet, in the written word, shots continue to “ring out”.

To wit, Google produces 157,000 hits for “shots rang out”.

I got to thinking a bit more about this weighty matter, and I wondered what other words might work instead of “rang”. How about these?

“Shots boomed out.” (“Boom” has a big gun sound.) Only 31 Google hits. WTF?

“Shots blasted out.” (“Blast” has some weight, methinks.) Damn, only 25 Google hits.

“Shots sang out.” (I figure if they can ring, they can sing.) Yikes! Only one Google hit.

“Shots tolled out.” (Hell, bells toll, so why not shots?) Wrong! Zero Google hits.

“Shots farted out.” OK, I know I’m reaching here, but I’m desperate. Nope. Zero Google hits, but Google suggested that I try “Shots fired out”.

OK, I’m game.

“Shots fired out.” Hey, Google may be on to something here. 305 Google hits.

And this silly shit demonstrates precisely why I should step away from this contraption and read a farookin’ book ““ one that hopefully has nothing to with shots ringing, booming, blasting, singing, tolling, farting, or firing out.

Later.