A REAL NAME

by Winfie (5-B-1)

J. C. was his name. His father had wanted a boy who would carry on his name; so he called him J. C. because his own name was John Charles. To J. C., this meant "nameless". He would have liked to have been called Marion. That name, for some reason, seem- ed to come easily to him. Sitting at his desk doing his homework he sometimes fell to doodling, and he would "come to" and find he had written the name "Marion". He could not tell why.

His dad certainly wanted to carry on his name. He would have liked to have had a family of boys-a base- ball team of his own-but J. C. was the only child. He could play most games; he was well co-ordinated, but the main reason was the constant coaching and urging that his father put forth to make him an "All American" or something.

His mother was a petite, rather pretty woman, who never spoke out to her rather domineering spouse. She too was proud of J. C. but she certainly hated that ap- pellation. One was enough in the family. When J. C. was born, yes, even before, she had suggested several boys' and several girls' names but the father did not even consider the possibility of having a daughter. He was the only boy in his family and by George, he would have a son to carry on his name.

Fortunately for him, he did get a son. What would he have done had he had a girl? No doubt after the first harsh realization that she wasn't a boy, he would have brought her up as one anyway. So he was making a man out of J. C. to follow in his footsteps.

In her secret thoughts his mother longed for a little girl. She loved J. C. but felt sorry for him too as she knew that he was not really the "tough" boy his dad thought he was. She had come upon him sketching and on occasions had been happily gratified when he made some comment on the dress she happened to be wearing.

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