My Name is LuMar Lee 

It was created in 1945 by my parents.

I was born on the 4th of July, 1946, just in time for the fireworks.

They decided to call me Lu Mar.

The first two letters of my Dad's name Lumir, are Lu.

The first three letters of my Mom's name Margaret, are Mar.

When Lee was added, they created a three-part harmony.

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LuMar Lee
Dad - Mom and me.
I was their firstborn child.

Dad called me Lu. Mom called me LuMar. If she added Lee, I needed to pay attention.

During my school years, I had the nickname, Louie.

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I wrote my first story in the spring of 1959 because of a fight.

A few guys were making fun of my shoes on the way to school and I could take no more. 

I shoved one and told him to shut up. He was all over me like a stink.

At the start of every fight, I felt like Popeye, the sailer man.

In my mind, I would win. That was my plan. I would put him in a headlock and make him cry, UNCLE! 

Then I would deal with the rest.

As luck would have it, I lost, which happened 99% of the time.

Mom found out I was fighting before school and called the Principal who assigned the Vice-Principal to investigate. 

He called three of us into his office. 

Myself, the guy I fought and a witness.

He sat us down, investigated, and gave us a piece of paper to write a report.

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When we finished writing, he collected them and read them aloud. 

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The kid I fought with, wrote a fact-filled report.

"Louie and I got in a fight.  - - He lost.  - - I won."

The Vice-Principal looked at me and asked, "Is that what happened?"

I looked at the floor while drooping my shoulders and nodded yes in silence.

He shouted, "LOOK AT ME WHEN I AM TALKING TO YOU!!!"

I almost jumped out of my chair and started shaking.

I looked him in the eye and he calmly asked again, "Is that what happened?"

Sitting straight in the chair, I answered, "Yes Sir."

Next, he read mine. It was longer.  

While reading the three of us sat quietly and listened.

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My report filled the front and backside of the page. I included every detail.

After the Vice-Principal read my report out loud, he asked, "Did you leave anything out?"

I looked at the floor while dropping my shoulders. I shook my head, and quietly  muttered "NO."

He shouted, "LOOK AT ME AND SPEAK UP!!!"

My spine tensed and I looked him in the eye, and firmly said, "NO SIR!"

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The Vice-Principal gave us all a lecture about the importance of school.

"You boys are here to learn and not fight like a herd of Kittens."

Not one of us laughed.

He made me and the other guy stand up, shake hands, and promise not to fight again. 

We were ordered back to class and warned. "If I hear about another fight, the both of you will be expelled. You will be at home with Mommy all day, and not here in school with your friends. UNDERSTOOD?"

Both of us responded in unison, "Yes Sir."

With a loud voice, he yelled, "GO STRAIGHT TO CLASS, NOW!"

We left quickly, bumping into each other, trying to see who could squeeze through the door first.

While scrambling through the door, we heard, "KNOCK IT OFF - IF YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOU."

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After leaving the Vice-Principal's office, the other kid, who was there as a witness asked, "How did you remember everything so well?" 

I shrugged my shoulders and said, "I don't know. He told me to write everything and that's what I did."

Leaving the Vice-Principal's office, I learned I was a better writer than a fighter. 

Between 1st and 8th grade, I only won a single fight. I would get a Dutch Rub about once a year and scream, "UNCLE," to stop the fight.

(Dutch Rub: Knuckles rubbed quickly on the top of the head.)

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I never had another fight after that visit to the Vice-Principal's office.

I stopped fighting and replaced it with writing.

I always found something to write about, and at 78, I still remember stories that need telling.

I publish my stories on a membership website called Medium.com.

Members pay an annual fee to read on Medium.

Medium.com has writers who live on all sides of the globe. They publish stories, poems,  self-help, and more.

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Catch YA’ Later
©️ LuMar Lee 2024
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I also have a Site BIO Page,
explaining how I created the
name ShortClipWriter.