Tough

[couchgrouch]

ToughNot many things were tougherthan winters on Dad's small ranchbut one of them that waswas the back of his hard handhe never thought no boy of hiswould prefer reading booksto herding in the high countryand pulling calves from icy brooksI recall complainingwind had chewed through my cheap gloveshe just spit some snuff in the snowlooked at me and said, "tough"one night we got to fightingand I stole his flat-bed Forddrank a pint and rolled that pick-uptrashed a Travel Lodge billboardwell, the judge looked me oversaw I was just seventeensaid he'd fine my dad five hundredor I could join the MarinesI begged Dad for that moneybut he shocked that hard old judgewhen he growled through gritted teeth"tough"through anger and tears, I despised him for yearsand few things are tougher than hatethough my hitch was up in four, I grew to love the Corpsand wound up serving eightI came home and built our ranch upnow it runs a thousand headthough Dad was tough, dipping snuffmade up his dying bedtoo many things in this lifeturn hands and hearts calloused and toughbut in those final moments we knewnothing's as tough as lovecos it ain't love if it ain't toughyeah, it ain't love if it ain't tough(c)2004 Robert George