Not as Lean, Not as Mean(But Still a Marine)

[couchgrouch]

Not as Lean, Not as Mean(But Still a Marine)Old Mr. Fry was the newest guy to move in my neighborhoodI was loadin' up my truck to go huntin' buck in the dark south woodsso I asked him along to jaw n spotI feared he was an old Aunt Beewhose idea of plan Bwas run like hell if we missed Bambi with our first shotwell, we'd been out a spell when the birds fell still and didn't make a soundthen a big, black bear jumped out and almost scared the living brownoutta this rowdy hunting manbut I'd never seen a guy move quickerMr. Fry sighted and squeezed his triggerthen said "I faced much bigger dangers as a young man back in 'Namyeah, I'm not as lean, not as meanbut still a Marinesome think I've gone limp becauseI ain't as hard as I once waswhen I was nineteen with mother greenand her fightin' machinebut long as I'm livin'I'll take any shot I'm givencos I'm not as lean, not as meanbut still a Marine"well, the story got around our little town 'bout Mr. Fry and the bearwe were at a local bar sippin' Maker's Mark when the barkeep daredhim to slam some outlaw stuffhe said "shootin' a rifleis just a matter of survivalbut Buddy I'll bet five'll git you ten you ain't that tough"but old man Fry was strong he useta put Mekong whiskey in his field canteenso he slammed a pint of that barkeep's shine then chased it with Jim Beamand a longneck Budhe grinned n said "if my liver's gonna quiveryou better pour me somethin' stifferbut I'll take a jug to wash the blood from my new bear rugbecause yeah, I'm not as lean, not as meanbut still a Marinesome think I've gone limp becauseI ain't as hard as I once waswhen I was nineteen with mother greenand her fightin' machinebut long as I'm still livin'I'll take any shot I'm givencos I'm not as lean, not as meanbut still a Marine"when he got home with a staggerhe left his wife no doubtwhen he put on some Haggardand turned the bedroom lights outcos he's not as lean, not as meanbut still a Marinenot as lean, not as meanbut still a Marine...(c)2006 Robert George