The Fenton Amateur Dramatic Society performed a play every year in the Fenton town hall. It would run every night for a week. This year's play was a domestic comedy and Barry Allen was to take the part of the head of the household. The same group of players had to adapt to the various parts in every play. This year, however they needed a youngster; a boy about ten years old to take the part of Barry's son.
"I think I've found a good youngster to play your son, Barry," said the producer, "I went to the school and explained to the headmaster what I was looking for. He came up with a boy who has performed well in school plays. I think he will fit the bill nicely, and as the school will be on holiday there will be no problems about homework or being up late. The boy is actually twelve years old but he looks younger. He will easily pass as a ten year old. His name is Chris Dernny."
"Chris Dernny!" exclaimed Barry.
"You know him?" asked the producer.
"Why yes! I've known him since he was born! We know each other by our first names. I'm a friend of the family. I play bowls with his father in the summer. He's a nice lad. I shall get along with him alright!"
The cast met two days later for an informal discussion. Rehearsals would start later that week.
"Hello Chris!" said Barry when he found the boy amongst the crowd, "You are to be my son Henry, I understand."
"Hi Barry!" replied Chris, "Yes, I'm looking forward to it!"
"Have you read the script yet?"
"Yes. I think I can handle my part alright!" said Chris confidently.
"Are you quite happy about the end of Act One?" Barry asked with a grin.
Chris's face coloured up a little. "You spank me don't you? That's going to be embarrassing in front of all those people!"
"No need to feel embarrassed!" Barry assured him, "Pull it off properly and the audience will appreciate your good acting. The curtains will be closing as I put you over my knee. I only give you about three slaps and then the curtains will be closed. The audience should be laughing - it is a comedy remember - and then they will burst into applause. Hopefully!"
"How hard do you hit me?" questioned Chris.
"Obviously no harder than I have to! I wouldn't want to hurt you, Chris!" Barry told him, "But I've got to make it look realistic! The producer said I should raise my arm high and let my hand land firmly enough to make a slapping sound that can be heard across the hall!"
The night of the first rehearsal arrived. It was not a dress rehearsal and the cast were in their everyday clothes. In Act One the action takes place in a living room. Young Henry has played a practical joke on one of his father's guests and dad is not very pleased with his son! Eventually the guests get up to leave and Barry's stage wife also leaves the room to show them out. Only Barry and Chris remain on the stage. Barry sits down on a chair and with his finger beckons to Chris to come to him.
"Alright Henry, you little monkey! You know what you're going to get, don't you my lad?!"
With a sheepish expression on his face and his hands behind his back, Chris walked in short little steps over to Barry who got hold of him around the waist and lifted him over his knee. Chris was wearing his jeans for this rehearsal and Barry noticed what a superbly spankable little bottom the lad had as the denim stretched tightly around his bum-cheeks! The curtains began to close.
SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!
"That's it! That's just fine!" said the producer.
"There! That didn't hurt, did it?" Barry asked Chris as he lifted him back onto his feet.
"No, of course not!" replied Chris, "It just feels a bit warm!"
"Was that making a loud enough noise?" Barry inquired of the producer.
"I think so. Those jeans absorb a little of the sound. It will make a louder slapping sound when Chris is in costume. He'll be wearing a pair of black short trousers for the show." replied the producer.
There were several more rehearsals during the two weeks preceding the opening of the show and the cast were all quite familiar with their parts. The final rehearsal was a dress rehearsal. Chris certainly looked like a ten year old in his bottom hugging short trousers which looked as if they were, if anything, a size too small for him! When Barry put the boy over his knee he mused that this garment was even more complimentary to that fine little bottom than the jeans had been as it molded tightly around the two bum-cheeks!
SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!
The curtains closed at the end of Act One for the last time before the show proper. The first night of the show arrived and there were naturally a few nerves as there always is for the first show even among experienced actors and actresses. The producer was a little worried as to how Chris would react to performing in front of a full house, but he need not have worried; Chris had acted in school plays and took it all in his stride. The play neared the end of Act One. Barry and Chris were alone on the stage. Barry pulled a chair from the table and sat down.
"Alright Henry, you little monkey!" said Barry as he beckoned to Chris with his finger, "You know what you are going to get, don't you, my lad!"
The audience began to titter as the mischievous little imp moved slowly towards Barry, and then started to laugh as they realised that they were actually going to see the boy go over Barry's knee!
SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!......
And then horror of horrors! The curtains were not closing! Barry glanced up and could two men in the wings fiddling madly with the ropes. There was only one thing for it. He would have to keep on spanking Chris until the stage hands managed to fix the problem with the curtains!
SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!
Now there were four stage hands desperate trying to free the ropes, but the curtains remained resolutely motionless!
SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!
By this time the audience, not realising that anything was wrong, were convulsed with laughter!
SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!
Barry was aware that the lad's body had gone taut and he was trying to press his bottom upwards as much as he could, a sure sign that it was getting very uncomfortable! Barry reasoned, however, that Chris would call out for him to stop if it got to the point where he could not take any more! Then, at last, the curtains began to close!
SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!
The two curtains joined together and the audience broke into tumultuous applause! Barry hastily lifted Chris back onto his feet.
"Come on! Let's get off the stage!" whispered Barry.
Chris was furiously rubbing his bottom as they went into the wings, but he had a smile on his face! He had taken it all in good part!
"Corr! It don't half sting!" he said ruefully, "What went wrong?"
"I'm terribly sorry Chris!" said the producer, "The ropes got stuck on something. Why on earth didn't you shout out for Barry to stop?"
"What! In front of all those people!" replied Chris, still rubbing away, "Besides my mum dad and two brothers were in the front row!"
"Oh! I see! Your pride took precedence, did it?!" said the producer, "What are your mum and dad going to say about this?"
"I'll bet they were laughing louder than anybody!" Chris answered, still rubbing away, "They'll take the mickey out of me when I get home tonight! So will my brothers! But I'm used to it, I can stand all that!"
The play continued and at the end the cast came onto the stage two at a time to take their bows. The longest and loudest applause was for Barry and Chris as they came on stage together. After the final curtain the producer went straight over to the pair.
"Once again I apologise, Chris! It won't happen again, I'll make sure of that!" he promised.
"Oh!" ejected Chris, "I wouldn't mind if it did! Well, that is, not quite as long as that! It really hurt! But it got the best laugh of the night didn't it?"
The producer grinned and pointed his finger at Chris's nose.
"Chris! I think getting a good laugh is not the only reason you would't mind, is it? I think you really enjoyed it, didn't you!?"
Chris blushed! "Er, well! That is, er! Like I said. I didn't mind it!"
"I was counting! You took twenty-eight spanks!" the producer informed him.
"Cut it down to twenty," suggested Chris, "and let's do it every night!"
"Well! That would be great!" said the producer, "It certainly delighted the audience! We'll do that then if you are sure it's okay with you." Then, as if he had suddenly remembered something, he turned to Barry. "Oh! And of course, if it's alright with you as well Barry?"
Somewhat unsurprisingly, Barry raised no objections whatsoever!!!!