Tears & Laughter

A strange title for a blog post, an even stranger title for a book. No, I am not writing a book. I sometimes wish I had the skill and confidence to write one, but that day will never come. Instead, I read. 

The book I am currently reading is the title of this post, Tears & Laughter by Gene Hill. One of the best outdoor writers of all time. He had the ability to write in such a way, it takes the reader back into the forests and marshes of their youth, reminiscing about past hunts, lifelong friends and of course dogs. Even if you are not an outdoor enthusiast, I think you would appreciate his writing. 

But it is not his writing that inspired me to write this post. It is the book itself. 

I have written before about how we search for Gene Hill books whenever we are in antique stores. We have found a couple, but when Barb found a complete set on an on-line auction, I just had to have them. We won them and they are now displayed proudly on the bookcase in our bedroom. 

I pulled down Tears & Laughter this week and started reading it. The first thing I noticed when I opened the book was this. 

A handwritten note from Bill to Paul dated Dec. 1985. That got me to wondering; who was Bill? Who was Paul? They were obviously hunting buddies but from where? Below that were more handwritten notes I assume Paul wrote, noting the dates he had read the book. I assume he read it once when he got it, then picked it up again in 2004, 2010 and 2021. A few pages later, it was even signed my Gene himself!

I was on the second chapter of the book when some newspaper and magazine clippings fell out of the back. Intrigued, I unfolded them and looked them over. The only date I could find on any of them were from 1981 which happens to be the same year the book was published. The article on the far left was about writing contest winner; this one featuring "A Listening Walk" by Gene Hill. The middle article was torn from a magazine. "I Never Met a Dog I Didn't Like" by Bill Tarrant. A quick search of Bill showed that he wrote for Field & Stream magazine in the 70's and 80's. I got a kick out of the cigarette ad on the back of one of the pages. The last clipping was out of an old Fins and Feathers magazine and showed several ads for hunting dogs. 

Paul, I assume put these in the back of this book decades ago. Any hunting dog he may have purchased has long ago passed away. But what kind of bond did those two have? What memories did they make? What marshes and fields did they walk? 

As all this transpired, I was sitting on our bed on a snowy afternoon with Dakota lying beside me. I folded those pieces back up and put them back where they belonged, got up, put on a coat and took Dakota for a walk in the woods. 

Although it was still cold and snowing, she was having a blast. Nothing makes her happier than a walk in the woods looking for rabbits. She runs from brush pile to brush pile sticking her nose in there looking for a wascally wabbit. Some she would pass by and give a cursory sniff, while others she would dance around sticking her whole head in. 

When she does find one, she harmlessly chases it for a few yards before the rabbit heads off to another brush pile somewhere further into the forest. She's a good dog. Had a rough beginning, but now is living her best life.

No rabbits were to be found this day, but she was still happy. Ears up, eyes alive and tail tagging. She'll be limping tomorrow, but it is worth it. As for the book, I will finish reading it, start my own "read" log and put it back on the shelf. 

Gene passed away in 1997, I am guessing Bill and Paul are probably gone as well. Someday, if all goes as planned, Forrest will read this book after I am long gone, see my handwritten notes and the dates I read the book, think back at past hunting trips we've had together, the dogs that he had and perhaps, take whatever dog he has at that time for a walk in the woods.