When Barry had disappeared from view, Wayne chimed in, "Chip's not gonna sit down for a week!"
Shawn challenged, "What d'ya mean, it's gonna be two weeks! Probably three!"
"Boys!" their mother reprimanded. "Let's get back to the game while your dad and Chip finish."
In a moment, the voice of the head of the household again struck their ears.
"I'm going to use this paddle to drive the lesson home, Chip. Let's see if it does. Bend over that chair." A pause. "All the way."
Shawn imagined Chip's butt stuck up on the back of the chair, red but still asking for more.
Crack! The ferocity of the sound made everyone jump in their seats.
"Yeow!" Chip yelled, then began crying again with a long, low wailing.
Shawn chuckled. Doesn't wood make a lovely sound when it cracks against your older brother's naked butt?
Crack!
"Am I getting through to you, son?"
Chip could only bawl in response.
"Well try this one!"
Crack!
Shawn heard the chair creak, and knew his brother was rocking back and forth on it in pain. Make him howl, Dad.
"Is the message gettting through, Chip?"
Crack! Crack!
Chip howled.
Two sizzlers in a row! Neat!
"Oh, yes, sir, I'll never do it again!"
"You better not! Because if you do, I'll really tear your butt up!"
Crack!
"Waah! Please, Dad, stop!"
Crack!
"I'll stop when I think you've learned your lesson, young man!"
"Oww! Waah!"
At last Barry seemed to take pity on his naughty but repentant oldest son.
"Have you really learned your lesson? A simple 'yes' will do."
"Oh, yes, sir, yes, sir, I"ll be a good boy from now on."
Barry sighed from relief and exhaustion. "Okay. I'm finished."
"Aw, c'mon, Dad," Shawn thought, "You need to take this punk down some more."
"But, Chip. If this happens again..."
"It won't, it won't!"
"...we'll take care of it downstairs in front of the whole family. That means the clothes come off. You'll undress in front of everyone and I'll whip you in front of everyone, is that clear?"
"Oh, yes, Dad!"
"Now. I don't suppose you feel like putting this paddle back in its place?"
"Oh, Dad, please don't make me!" There was true humility and no defiance in Chip's voice.
"All right. I guess you've been punished enough."
Dang! Shawn thought to himself. He turned to Wayne. "Four weeks, at least."
The foursome downstairs were about to return their attention to the monopoly game when Barry continued.
"We'll get your brother to do it. Shawn!"
Oh, boy! Shawn jumped up from the table and muttered "Excuse me!" He was going to get to see the results of Dad's handiwork after all. Shawn raced up the stairs and into his and Chip's bedroom, and stopped short.
His first reaction was to say, "Wow, Dad! Good job!" Chip's bare butt naturally eclipsed everything else in the room. Chip was on his tip toes, bent over the chair, rear end high. Shawn couldn't see the upper half of his brother's body. He could hear Chip's constant crying, and Chip made the chair wiggle as he twitched and clenched and unclenched his butt cheeks.
There was no longer even a touch of white anywhere on them. Instead, they burned with every imaginable shade of red - crimson, scarlet, you name it. The paddle, under Barry's expert guidance, had left many little circles, some overlapping, all over the middle of his son's butt. Boy, that thing must be hot. Shawn was tempted to touch it and find out. The only disappointment was that Dad had neglected to lay some licks across Chip's thighs. But, Shawn decided that was compensated for by the fact that Dad had already grounded him for a nice long time. That punishment would last well after Chip's butt had returned to normal.
His eyes remained fixed on his brother's butt until Barry handed him the paddle and said, "Here, son, will you put this up for your big brother? He doesn't seem to feel like doing it."
Shawn put on his most angelic smile. "Sure, Dad." He took the paddle and smacked it against his palm as his father had done. He hoped Chip heard it.
Barry put his hands on his hips and tried to put some severity back into his voice. "Now, Chip. Do you think you'll feel like eating some strawberry shortcake if I bring it up to you?"
Shawn shook his head in disapproval. Dad was definitely too soft-hearted.
From beyond the bright red butt came a sobbed "Yes, sir."
Shawn couldn't resist. "You just need to bring Chip the shortcake, Dad. His butt looks like two big strawberries now!"
"And there will be no teasing. Just you remember, young man, there's a paddle in my den with your name on it, too!"
"Awww," Shawn answered. He knew his butt was in no danger tonight, and even ventured to ask:
"Hey, Dad, can I have another piece of strawberry shortcake?"
Barry put an affectionate hand on Shawn's shoulder as they began to leave the room. "And what makes you think you merit another piece?"
"Well, I had to do Chip's share of washing the supper dishes, 'cause he came upstairs early."
Barry laughed. "So he did. All right, pal, I guess you've earned some more dessert." He turned to address the butt that was still stuck up in the air. "And, Chip, I still expect you downstairs to play monopoly with the rest of your family. I want you to change into your pajamas and come down after you eat. I'll even have a pillow for you to sit on."
As father and son descended the stairs, Shawn planned to enjoy every leisurely bite of his strawberry shortcake as he watched his big brother squirm in his seat all evening long.
Way to go, Dad!