This is the sixth story in "The College Years" series about the corporal punishment regime endured by a university student - me, Martin, living in an elite, men only residential college, which has strict rules. At the end of the last story I had just been given an extremely severe caning because I'd neglected to improve the neatness and quality of my wardrobe in time for inspection - so I missed a vital History lecture to try and fix things. In the end the neatness of my room was substandard and I'd been caught missing class. So I had to go and apologise to my professor, and then tidy my room properly and prepare for another severe caning in the evening - this time in public.
I limped and stumbled down to my room. I was feeling numb with pain. My hand rubbed my butt - more out of habit than because it was easing the pain still burning vividly.
I shut my door, and locked it.... and collapsed in tears - bawling eyes out on the floor, lying in the foetal position. For the first time I was beginning to doubt whether I'd be able to "take" whatever was given to me. I also realised this was first time I'd actually "punished", previously I was being reprimanded for breaches in the rules - this time I'd screwed up. I vowed to myself that I'd screw-up no more !
Slowly I got to my feet - having exhausted my emotions. It hurt my butt just to bend and flex the muscles of my legs. So I shuffled over to the mirror and lowered my jeans and boxer shorts to see one giant stripe, bright red running across my butt. I touched it tentatively and recoiled from the immediate pain - so slowly pulled by shorts and jeans up and collected my assignment and the note from Mcgregor and headed out of the door.
I was soon standing outside my Professors door and knocked.
"Come in" he called. I stepped in. "Ah Martin - we missed you at class today" he said reproachfully.
"Um, I know Professor, I'm sorry - here's my assignment and a note explaining why I wasn't at lectures".
The Professor looked at me quizzically and opened the note, as I shuffled uncomfortably, and looked at my feet - feeling very like a naughty schoolboy. As he read the note the Professor smiled slightly and looked up at me.
"Hmm - I see" he said carefully, as he opened my assignment and glanced through it. He suddenly closed the assignment and looked up at me "Very well, I'll accept this late assignment from you and charge no demerit points. But that's only because you've already been punished more than adequately. In future I won't be so lenient "
"Thanks Professor !" I said and headed out of the room. Part one of my duty was done - now I just had to sort my room out and prepare for another caning.
I went back to my room and continued the work I had begun in the morning. After a couple of hours of concentrated work I had my cupboards pretty well organised. I began to realise that with a little bit of regular effort I could keep my room in an organised state very easily;. The throbbing pain in my butt reminded me of why it would be a good idea to start such a routine.
All too soon there was a sharp rap on the door.
"It's me Martin" barked Mcgreor.
I opened the door and let him in. He walked in and prowled around the room, opening draws and checking the cleanliness of it all. Finally he stopped and turned to and said "Better - not yet perfect, but better. If it'd been like this this morning, you'd have passed easily"
"Thank-you sir" I replied.
He then proceeded to detail the areas where an even higher standard would be expected for the Thursday inspection. I noted what he said carefully - desperate to avoid more canings.
Mcgregor then continued "Now you had 15 very hard strokes this morning, and have another 15 coming this evening"
"Yes sir" I agreed cautiously.
"But you might remember that I originally said you were due 20 strokes on two occasions if you failed this morning's test, and also said you were getting extra for missing class. So you are due another 10 at least. "
"Sir" I murmured in agreement.
"What I didn't say was when you'd be getting these extra strokes" he boomed. I gulped, very nervously. "As you've passed this afternoon's inspection, you will only receive a third set of 15 strokes from me , upstairs, to round off your punishment. You have probably noticed that you're being beaten with an unusually heavy cane (which has never been used on a freshman before) - which is why we cut your initial session down from twenty strokes. The only question is when - now or on Thursday after the next inspection (when you could be liable for another caning for being substandard at that time)."
I stood very still - unsure of what to do. My backside was still very sore from the last 15, and I still had another 15 to go, and so didn't want to line up for a third set of 15 in the same day, but I didn't want another thrashing hanging over me in two days time either. I had vowed to take the probation more seriously and so avoid getting caned for avoidable stupidity and carelessness - so decided that I'd rather get it over with in one day.
So I said "Umm, I'll take it now" - feeling very unsure and scared.
"Alright" said Mcgregor, with a note of approval in his voice "Come upstairs with me now".
I followed him up the stairs - wincing with pain as my backside moved. I had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. At the top of the stairs was the dreaded desk and cane. Mcgregor motioned for my to prepare myself - so, once again I stretched over that desk. Just this movement was enough to make my butt tingle with pain.
"Ready?" he asked.
I clenched my teeth together and grabbed the edge of the desk as tightly as I could and said "Yes sir".
Without any further fanfare it began:
SWISH .... THWACK !!!! into my stretched out butt ."Yeouch sir that hurts" I howled.
.SWISH again was followed by THWACK !!! as I bucked against the able "Oh please sir it's so sore ..."
... then... THWACK "... I change my miiiind ......"
... and again .... " oh please" I pleaded
... and again... "... sir ....."
... and again... "I'm begging you ...."
... and again.. " pleeeeassse......"
... and again.. "Oh shiiiiiiiiit"
... and again.. " ...you've got to stop..."
... and again .. "I'm demanding ....."
... and again .. " .....that you stop..."
... and again .. "......riiiiight...."
... and again .. "......noooow..."
... and again .. "......ppppleeease..."
... and again .. " .... sir "
Again I was sobbing uncontrollably with my butt throbbing with fiery pain sticking in the air. I breathed deeply to try and get my breathing under control as I stood slowly. I thought I had reached the pinnacle of pain earlier this day - I hadn't realised how much worse it could get.
I slowly straightened.
"OK Martin " said Mcgregor "you'll get another 15 at dinner tonight and there will be no blemish on your academic or college record.
"Thank-you sir" I murmured as I shook his hand, as I stumbled out of the room. I made my way down to my room, carefully closed and locked my door, and lay face down on the bed. I was still crying in pain, and let the tears flow as I buried my face in the pillow. I fell into a light sleep - no doubt a response from my body which desperately needed to heel itself.
A couple of hours later I awoke with a start. It was dinner time ! I leapt out of bed and groaned with the throbbing pain in my butt. I quickly tidied myself up and stole a quick look at the severe marks on my bum. I rubbed I quickly and put on fresh underwear and a new pair of jeans made from a thick denim, to try and give myself as much protection as I could.
As I walked down to the dinning room, the pain in my bum felt quite distant , and I felt slightly removed from reality - I guess this was another way for my mind to help me deal with an unacceptable level of pain.
I sat down quietly and ate a small dinner - I really wasn't hungry. It seemed like only a few moments before I heard the fateful tingling on a glass.
"Gentlemen" said Johnstone. "Today we have a very serious punishment to deliver."
That got everyone's attention. All the guys turned to face the front podium, keen to see someone take a thrashing. Only I knew who it was to be !
"One of you missed a lecture today !" It was interested how many of the college stared at their plates in embarrassment. Johnstone notice because he continued "he is unlucky , as we have discovered what he did. Any guy from this college who is caught missing lectures will be caned publicly. " He looked towards me " Martin, get your butt up here".
I stood slowly. Everyone stared at me - many were grinning, glad it someone-else getting it. I walked over to wear Mcgregor stood. He had been handed a thin, whippy cane. He put a chair in an open area and motioned to me to bend over its back. This I did. For the third time in 6 hours, my backside was positioned ready for a caning. I still felt removed from reality, only aware of a dull throbbing in my bum.
Mcgregor continued "Martin will get 15 strokes". There was a ripple of excitement around the room. This was the heaviest public caning yet ! If only they knew what else I'd taken this day.
"Ready Martin ?" asked Mcgregor.
"Yes sir" I said.
"OK - count "
I heard the now very familiar swish, followed by a CRACK! I felt the impact and a slight sting, but nothing more. A little surprised I said "One"
Again I heard CRACK as the cane hit my butt. "Two". I assumed that my backside was so numb with pain, nothing more would hurt.
CRACK .... "Three"
CRACK .... "Four"
CRACK..... "Five"
CRACK.... "Six"
CRACK.... "Seven"
CRACK... "Eight"
Mcgregor paused. I assume he was surprised that I was so calm . He said "Don't count the rest they'll come quickly"
"Yes sir" I agreed, when suddenly: CRACK, CRACK, CRACK, CRACK, CRACK, CRACK, CRACK. I moaned at the last stroke. The pain was building again - he'd found a way to break through the numbness. My eyes were wet with tears as I stood.
Mcgregor nodde d to me to go and sit down as he said "All of you note this - we'll punish you severely for missing classes - now you can go".
I had just reached my table as everyone stood so I was spare the pain of sitting. So I turned on my heels and walked to my room. I had more tidying to do ! I spent a couple of hours organising some more.
Finally I stripped off my clothes - revealing a battered backside, and jumped under the shower and let the warm water soak my aching body. I got out and dried myself - and sat down to do some studying for an hour before getting into bed - lying n my front and falling asleep. I was extremely glad that this day was over !!!
I woke the next morning with a very sore butt. I got out of bed and got ready for training . I jogged down to the sports field, and actually enjoyed the stretching exercises. It felt good to be doing something positive with my body !
Training was a breeze. I really enjoyed it, and avoided any trouble. The guys were surprisingly sympathetic to me - as most felt very lucky not to have been caught missing classes, so no-one targeted me for particular "attention" during tackles and scrums.
Wednesday proceeded well, without mishap. My new determination was keeping me out of trouble as I totally focused on doing all the things I needed to do.
During all this, I hadn't actually spoken to Philly at all. He and I were still uncomfortable about the slippering incident, and I was so busy at trying to get my room sorted out for the next inspection - as well as attending all my classes and doing all the study expected of me, that I didn't pause to spend time with him.
So by Thursday 11am I was very confident that my room would pass - and it did. Mcgregor commended me on the level of improvement but warned me to keep up the good work, or risk another day like Tuesday. That same afternoon the Coach posted the teams that were to play St Michael's College (our oldest rival) and I was thrilled to be playing for the second team (the first team was all seniors, and most new guys were in the fourth team - so I was honoured).
I was really looking forward to the game, and the final week of probation.
To be continued .......