I Was Burned...

  I was a student at Highland Jr. High back in the 70s.  Something happened  that stayed with me ...
  If you look closely at my right forearm, you can see what looks like a burn mark.
  Because it is.
  I was sitting in a class and a kid by the name of  "Fowler"  asked me to turn around.  When I did, he held a hot Zippo to my arm and made a mark that I can still see.
  I didn't know at the time, but this "Fowler"  kid was a real " a-hole"  and he didn't like people of color.
  That burn hurt like hell , but you know what I learned?
  ... this mark will always remind me that there was a lot of ugliness in the world, and back then, I didn't really see it. 
  I have a mark to prove it, but in my mind , I had tuned it out.
  Life is funny that way...

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