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| Ladies man takes it easy now by Cathy Olliffe "Bows" Tapscott, once a feisty rip-snorter who wouldn't back down from anyone in a fight and who drove the dames wild, is now Feisty old guy recounts all the good times content to watch the world go by. With a cozy fire blazing in the corner wocdstove, Bows sits hunched over in front of the slid- ing glass doors of his walkout basement in Seagrave, his flecked eyes, now watery with age, star- ing out into the backyard. He spends most of his time in the rec room, either at the window or in his favourite chair, thinking about the good old days. When he was young. When his pale red hair was a brilliant orange--when he had a temper to match. The old Bows hasn't entirely disappeared. When someone does something he doesn't like, Bows won't hesitate in delivering a good swat, or voicing his irritation long and loud. But those times are infrequent. Bows simply doesn't have as much energy as he used to. He has, after all, led a tough life. "With what I've been through," he drawled. "And at my age, I fig- ure I deserve alittle R & R." Life began for Bows on Orme- rod Street in Scarborough. His mother pave birth to twins, not identical, a girl she nicknamed Buttons and a boy she playfully called Bows. The name has stuck, although he is often called Scotty or just plain Tom. His mother abandoned the twins when they were just babies. They were all in the back of a pick-up truck when she simply disap- Bows never knew for sure who his father was, but he suspects a big, mean-spirited military man known as "The Major" who lived in the neighbourhood. Alone and frightened, the babies were adopted by Mel and Alice Tapscott, a friendly couple, who lived on the same street (until re- cently when they retired to Sea- grave). Despite loving care from the Tapscotts, who admitted to spoil- ing the twins, Bows and his beau- tiful raven-haired sister grew up a little on the tough side. Especially Bows--maybe it was the influence of the dreaded Major. "There was this time a Great Dane came onto the property-- nasty dog. Tried to chase me, but hey, he was on my territory, my space. I went after him like no to- morrow," Bows recalled with a chuckle. "The rest of the family, all they heard was the mutt's toc- nails clicking on the pavement when he ran off like a scared rab- bit." Bows isn't a big fan of dogs-- even now he is known to put a curious canine in his place. But there is one dog who holds a spe- cial place in Bows' heart. Steely Dan, a goodsnatured bull terrier who looks just like Spuds McKenzie, was taken in by the Tapscott's daughter Dana. Now more than nine years old, Steel is Bows' constant companion. Although the two have opposite personalities, they get along like the good friends they are. Steel would no doubt be shocked to hear of the time, in Scarborough, that Bows went after a neighbour he didn't like too much. : The man was minding his own business, painting in his yard, when Bows snuck up on him and knocked the paintbrush right out of his hand. The neighbour wisely decided right then and there to keep a re- spectful distance from the hot- tempered redhead. Mel Tapscott tends to overlook Bows' mischievious side and says the old fellow reminds him of Bob Hope. Alice disagrees. "Everybody likes Bob Hope," she said. And Bob Hope likes eve- " rybody. Bows isn't like that." If Bows had to be compared with a celebrity, this reporter thinks Clint Eastwood or Charles Bronson might be a better com- parison. Bows himself didn't care to comment. "I'm my own man," he grum- bled. "Always have been." Bob Hope, for example, wouldn't be caught dead sitting on the kitchen table licking the butter dish, but Bows has been caught in the act several times. These days, Alice keeps the butter out of Bows' reach. Bows wouldn't comment on the butter episodes either. No wonder. While the high-cholestorol spread is one of Bows' favourite treats, he can't eat the stuff any- more. Mostly his diet consists of beef flavoured baby food. "I've got a sore mouth," he ad- mitted, opening it wide to reveal a chunk missing out of his tongue. "I cut it one time when I was lick- ing the lid on a salmon tin. I think. Geez, that was so long ago, it's hard to remember." Bows has had more than his fair share of medical problems. He's had kidney stones and now he suf- fers from a touch of arthritis. He's also hard of hearing. "Eh?" The worst of it was when he went into a doctor's office for a routine check-up and came out mi- nus certain body parts that gener- ally separate the girls from the boys. After that surgery, any dreams he had of fathering children died on the operating table. "Should 'ave sued the beggars," Bows said angrily. "By geez, just thinking about it stews my juices. Hey, but it didn't stop the girls from chasing me." Indeed, Bows has broken the heart of many a fine female. Bows doesn't like to name names, but Mel claims there's been several girls in the old guy's life. One girlfriend, a pretty little thing with fawn-coloured hair, would meet Bows outside and the two would sing to each other un- der the moonlight. Mel said it sounded more like yowling. The most special woman in Bows' life was Buttons, who 5 7 Steel and Bows are the best of friends. Usually they can be found hanging out PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, March 7, 1989 -- 37 * In the basement, swapping stories about the good old days. passed away four years ago. She is deeply missed by the entire Tap- scott family, including Steel. As for Bows, well, he knows he's getting old, but he figures he'll be around for a few more years yet. On Saturday March 4, the Tap- Socks celebrated Bows' 20th birth- y. Pretty long life for a cat. 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