The headmaster studied the young man seated in front of the huge desk. Jimmy Tapp had applied for the position of handyman at St Barnabas Boarding School for Boys. He was 23 years old and a veteran of the Great War.
"The coal fired boiler is a trifle erratic, I'm afraid", the headmaster smiled apologetically. "Of course we now have electric lighting throughout the school".
Jimmy cleared his throat. "That boiler just needs careful handling, and a better quality coal - if you want my opinion".
"Excellent" murmered the headmaster. "Mr Tapp, you understand that boys in this school are disciplined with corporal punishment?"
"What sort of a school would it be without the stick?" Jimmy scratched his head. "I got it when I was a lad. Then at home there was Dad's belt. Reckon he leathered at least an inch of skin off my bum, er bottom", Jimmy added hastily.
"Here at St Barnabas we have a tradition. Beatings are administered by the handyman. We try our best to be a democratic institution. After all, our boys are the sons of the more well-off members of society. To be beaten by the lowest paid member of staff is true submission". The headmaster's warm smile robbed his words of any offence. "Do you feel up to being our disciplinarian?"
Jimmy looked reflective. "After Mons, sir, I reckon I can handle a naughty schoolboy". Just the thought of it was enough to make the blood rush to his groin. Who'd have thought it? Jimmy Tapp giving some young toff a hiding.
Mr Tapp, welcome to St Barnabas!" Jimmy stood and the two men shook hands. "You can start right away?"
"This very minute", Jimmy replied.
There was a light knock on the door. "Come!" boomed the headmaster. A tall, good looking boy of about 18 years came into the study. "Ah, Ballantyne. This is our Head Boy, Mr Tapp". Jimmy nodded to him. The youth had blond hair but his classical features were spoilt by a supercilious expression. The Ballantynes were one of the province's wealthiest families. "I have been explaining to Mr Tapp our discipline methods. Beatings are carried out at 3.30pm in a room adjacent to the gymnasium. Ballantyne always witnesses the punishments. Will you please collect Mr Tapp at 3.15 and show him the ropes, as it were?"
"Yes sir", replied the Head Boy.
"Splendid! Mr Tapp, I expect you will want to inspect that wretched boiler?" He shook Jimmy's hand again and the new handyman left the sunlit study.
Jimmy spent part of the morning in the school basement tinkering with the boiler. Then he was called to clear a blocked drain in the ablutions block. He walked past the row of cubicles. Some were occupied. The boys had to perform that most undignified of human functions without the privacy of doors. "Worse than the army', thought Jimmy.
At noon the handyman entered the Dining Hall for the midday meal. He was seated at a table with the other ancillary staff. Matron seemed to be the only female. Staff and boys tucked into a delicious shepherd's pie and there were fresh apricots from Central Otago for dessert.
During the warm, sunny afternoon Jimmy re-freshed the white ground markings around the cricket field. He tried to concentrate on the job in hand but kept thinking about his appointment at 3.30: 'Make a nice change from unblocking drains'.
Ballantyne collected the handyman as arranged. He unlocked the door. The room was spacious but the only furniture was a chesterfield chair. Leaning against the wall were canes of various thicknesses. Ballantyne checked his clip-board. There were four culprits to be dealt with that day. He ushered in a boy of about 9. Young _c_o_c_k_burn had been found guilty of lingering in bed and his sentence was two strokes.
"Unbutton!" Ballantyne ordered. The boy obeyed and soon his trousers and underpants were puddles at his feet. He bent over the arm of the chesterfield. The Head Boy handed Jimmy a light cane. The handyman surveyed the boy's perfectly rounded little pink bottom. He lifted the cane high and slashed it against that tender flesh. An ugly red welt sprang up and those boy-orbs shook like two jellies. When _c_o_c_k_burn was composed, Jimmy cracked the cane again, hard. When the boy was allowed to stand he slowly pulled up his clothing and looked at the handyman through damp eyelashes. He put out his hand and Jimmy shook it.
That night back at his lodgings, Jimmy reflected on his day. 'Fancy St Barnabas' boys getting the cane on their bare bums!' During his own school days boys had at least two layers of clothing which provided some protection from the stick. Jimmy stroked his thick man's _c_o_c_k_ and thought about beating boys' bottoms until his seed spurted into his hand.
Jimmy quickly settled into his new job. He soon showed the boiler who was the boss. The boys called him 'Mr Tapp' and he got to know a few of their backsides rather better than their faces. Jimmy got on well with everyone except for Ballantyne. The Head Boy was a snob who made no secret of the fact that he thought he was a cut above him. Jimmy, who had fought a bloody war, disagreed with Ballantyne's self-assessment.
Late one summer's afternoon, the handyman went into the basement to check the boiler. He heard muffled noises in another corner of that vast underground space and went to investigate. He looked into an alcove. Young _c_o_c_k_burn was kneeling on the dusty floor, trousers around his ankles. Ballantyne had his thick _c_o_c_k_ in the boy's tiny bum hole. He rammed brutally into the youngster who screamed for him to stop. Ballantyne's grabbed the terrified boy by the hair making him scream even louder. All the while the Head Boy's _c_o_c_k_ was like a piston in poor _c_o_c_k_burn's bottom. Then the cruel youth gave one last thrust and grunted as his semen spurted into the young boy's rectum. Ballantyne roughly pulled out his now deflated _c_o_c_k_ and wiped it clean on _c_o_c_k_burn's shirt-tail. The youngster quickly dressed and fled upstairs.
Ballantyne adjusted his clothing and stood up. He went pale when he saw the grimfaced handyman. "What are you doing here?" he blustered.
"Watching you bugger a helpless young boy. I've shot scum better than you". The Head Boy turned even paler. "You are coming with me to the headmaster, NOW!"
Ballantyne pleaded with the handyman. It would mean the most awful disgrace for him to be expelled from St Barnabas. Both his older brother and their father were Head Boy before him. The desperate youth offered the man money to forget what he'd seen. The look of contempt on Jimmy's face almost silenced him. As a last desperate gamble the youth asked the handyman to thrash him without mercy.
The thought of giving the toffee-nosed upstart the hiding of his young life appealed to Jimmy. He told the Head Boy he'd defer any further action for 24 hours.
The following afternoon a white-faced Ballantyne watched Jimmy cane two boys. Then they were alone. The man looked at the youth and said quietly: "Strip!"
The Head Boy slowly removed his jacket, tie, shirt and vest. The golden hairs on his torso glistened in the shaded sunlight. He took off his shoes, socks, trousers and underpants. He stood naked before his nemesis. Jimmy picked up the thickest cane which he'd left soaking in a tub of water overnight. He flicked the end of it on the youth's shrivelled up _c_o_c_k_.
"Difficult to believe that pathetic worm ever buggered a boy".
He flicked harder, the tip striking the glans.
"Right". the handyman said grimly, "Get into position". The youth turned and bent over the end of the chesterfield. His buttocks were like marble. Jimmy felt a stirring in his groin. He lifted the cane high and slashed it down. A thick red welt sprang up. Again and again the man flogged those magnificent mounds. The youth screamed after each savage cut - a thin keening sound eerily reminiscent of women bereaved in a war on the other side of the world.
The rattan, made heavy by the water, was having a truly devastating effect on the youth. Soon his twin-orbs were criss-crossed with thick weals. There were pin-pricks of blood all over the rapidly swelling mounds. Then, Jimmy threw down the stick and faced the broken boy.
"You ever been _f_u_c_k_ed, Ballantyne? Had a man's _c_o_c_k_ up your bung-hole?" The Head Boy shook his head. "No, I thought not".
Jimmy stroked the huge pole tenting the front of his trousers. The youth's tear filled eyes widened when he saw the outline of the handyman's weapon. "No! Please - not that!" he whimpered.
"I reckon you need a taste of your own medicine, lad! Open your bum. Come on - spread your legs".
Jimmy unlocked the door and let in young _c_o_c_k_burn.
"Cor! Look at the state of his bottom! I thought he was made of stone not flesh and blood". The young boy touched Ballantyne's torn flesh and started laughing. That was the ultimate humiliaton: to have his victim see him reduced like that. The handyman and _c_o_c_k_burn left the room.
A school is a small community which can keep secrets. Ballantyne permanently lost his superiority and people even started liking him. In turn _c_o_c_k_burn felt more confident and school life soon became less of a burden to him.
The headmaster whispered to his handyman: "Unorthodox but effective. You righted a terrible wrong and protected the good name of St Barnabas. I'm most grateful to you". Jimmy looked dumbstruck at the headmaster who smiled at his handyman. "By the way, I've ordered high grade Ohai coal for the boiler. Should see us through the winter". The bell rang and the two men went about their appointed tasks............
(If you'd like to read more St Barnabas stories please write to me: noughteboy@yahoo. com)