The Scalding of a Stokes

When I posted this photograph of me in Sopchoppy tonight on my mothers page, Meme Clara Stokes, it occurred to me this is the only known photograph I have showing my bandaged left arm. I would have to consult my mothers dairies if they go that far back to date it, but somewhere around two and three.
I was alone in the kitchen, there was a corded coffee pot on top of the stove, the water boiling. Out of curiosity I pulled the cord and the water came pouring down onto my left shoulder, scalding badly my entire left arm, chest and neck. One splash even made a scar on the right inner bicep.
My mother, teaching at the time, took a leave of absence to keep me. Korean war burn procedure was to wrap burns, not the modern day method of no bandages. It made the scars much worse, permanent.
I am a smiling little fellow here, unaware or non self-conscious. It was only toward early adolescence that I began to shy from not wearing a shirt while swimming, or allowing anyone to see the scars on my arm and shoulder. When I would have to show it to people, I cringed how people would do the OMG and all. The older I got, the greater the embarrassment. I recall in Monticello while in the 3rd grade at a summer basketball program. I prayed I would not be on skins team, of which I was. By high school and wearing the basketball singlet, I was pretty much over it, but it had a profound affect upon my personality.
The withdrawal, the shyness, the secrecy, etc., all in a small way attributed to the scars.
And now, even though I am not totally at home with the scars, I never will be, I now wear them as a sort of tattoo badge of me, who I am.
The best news to come from it was the doctors in the day and their pessimism saying I would never be able to use the left arm. That was proven wrong by the fact I was left-handed and enjoyed a certain level of ability at being one who could draw and do things minute and detailed.
And that is the rest of the story.