everyone considered him the coward of the county hed never stood one single time to prove the county wrong his mama named him tommy but folks just called him yellow something always told me they were reading tommy wronghe was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison i looked after tommy cause he was my brothers son i still recall the final words my brother said to tommy son my life is over but yours has just begunpromise me son not to do the things ive done walk away from trouble if you can it wont mean youre weak if you turn the other cheek i hope youre old enough to understand son you dont have to fight to be a mantheres someone for everyone and tommys love was becky in her arms he didnt have to prove he was a man one day while he was working the gatlin boys came calling they took turns at becky nthere was three of themtommy opened up the door and saw his becky crying the torn dress the shattered look was more than he could stand he reached above the fireplace and took down his daddys picture as the tears fell on his daddys face he heard these words againpromise me son not to do the things ive done walk away from trouble if you can now it wont mean youre weak if you turn the other cheek i hope youre old enough to understand son you dont have to fight to be a manthe gatlin boys just laughed at him when he walked into the barroom one of them got up and met him halfway cross the floor when tommy turned around they said hey look old yellers leaving but you couldve heard a pin drop when tommy stopped and locked the doortwenty years of crawling was bottled up inside him he wasnt holding nothin back he let em have it all when tommy left the barroom not a gatlin boy was standing he said this ones for becky as he watched the last one falland i heard him say i promised you dad not to do the things youve done i walk away from trouble when i can now please dont think im weak i didnt turn the other cheek and papa i sure hope you understand sometimes you gotta fight when youre a maneveryone considered him the coward of the county