OK, it's been some while since I put out any kind of personal commentary on here-but I thought that everyone would find this story a bit interesting.

Years ago, when I was in High School-I discovered that there was another Eric Mathis living in a neighboring county (Surry), while I live in Wilkes County.  I was having some work done at the time on my car audio system at a place in Elkin called Audio Unlimited.  Since I had an open account there, I told them my name-and they said that there were 2 Eric Mathis'.  One which was me, and another that lived in East Bend, NC.  At the time, I thought that was rather unique.  Because when one's young, the last thing that they think is that someone else is out there walking around with their name.  While at the same time, we had different middle initials.  I guess somewhere around that same time, was when I met another person with the same birthday as myself.  So, I just attributed both the situations to the idea of it being a small world.  In addition to the fact that there are only so many days in a year and so many names people can have.  Not to mention, there are a ton of Mathis' in this part of NC.

Years later, after my Grandfather had passed away-I was given a number of guns.  To make sure that I was in full compliance with the federal laws concerning the ownership of firearms, I went to the local Sheriff's Department to get permits for 2 of the handguns.  I'd have to say that this was in the last 2 years or so.  Like usual, I filled out the appropriate paper work-and found a seat in the waiting area.  Within 5 minutes, I was pulled back into a little hallway-and grilled about why I didn't tell them about me living in Surry county.  My response was simple, I told them that the only time I was in Surry County was to eat or shop-and outside of that I had no idea where they were going with the line of tough questions?  

After a short period of time, they figured out that I wasn't the Eric Mathis that had a flag come up as a felon.  Apparently this guy had stole a car and done some other things to end himself up in prison a time or 2.  I've never met the cat, nor am I trying to talk bad about him-but that's his record.  After the one deputy that grilled me apologized and we laughed the whole thing off, I was granted my permits.  But even more, I was told that since I didn't have a criminal record and the guns were passed down-that I didn't need to get any more permits for the other firearms.  As the main reason that I got permits on those 2 guns was because they were used in the filming of Buried Beneath.  And I didn't want to be carrying guns from this shoot to another shoot without the proper permits.

Now those rules of guns being passed down may differ in other jurisdictions, but that's what I was told by the Sheriff himself-who's been in the position for a very long time.  I still smile and say hey to the gal at the sheriff's department who grilled me when I see her out in passing.  As I know that it was just an honest mistake. 

So, why did I tell everyone this tale?  I think more because of late someone did a criminal background check on me-and thought that I was this other Eric Mathis.  I understand that this is the internet age, and there are a ton of liars and theives out there trying to take advantage of people.  But at the same time, if any of you ever decide to do a background search on someone that you might want to check out-please make sure that you're checking the right person.  Because there are people out here in the world that share the same names.  Then that way, no one will have to explain why they didn't do something-that they didn't do in the first place.

Hope that everyone's well out there.

Eric N. Mathis