This is a story about Martin - a young man who has recently been featuring in "The College Years" series of stories about his initiation into university life. Last year I posted a number of stories about Martin when he was a school boy. I'm pleased to re-post this updated version of the story under the new umbrella series of "The School Years" - with the appalling spelling and grammar errors of the original corrected, as well as some new details. As in all Martin stories - it is all written from his, rather unfortunate, point of view.
Over the next few months I'll update all the school years adventures of Martin - I hope you enjoy them !!!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was winter. I was aged 15, and rather tall for my age. I was in Year 10 at a prestigious boy's school called The Grammar School. I had broad shoulders and a muscular backside, as a result of all the sport I played. I was in the school's "Junior A" Rugby Union football team. It was the top team for lads of my age, and I was very proud to be playing on
it. Being tall and pretty heavily built, I was a Centre-row forward, which meant I packed down in the "scrums".
I don't know if you know anything about Rugby, but it's a rough and tough sport played by strapping great lads, who often ferociously tackle one another to the ground, in order to get possession of the ball. Being big and strong as well as reasonably agile, I was a natural and loved it.
I got caned severely after one game, which was doubly important to our team. We had the chance to make the top of the league, and just needed to beat this one last team. The pride of the school was at stake.
One problem we'd being having was our lads being penalised by the referee because, through poor discipline, they broke rules of the game. I was no exception. Anyway, Coach got so fed up with it, he said he'd cane anyone who deliberately caused stupid penalties to be given against us. I think we all thought it was a half-joke ... and that he wouldn't
really beat anyone hard. Boy were we wrong!
So anyway the game began. It was a cold, wet day. My shorts and jersey were wet, and caked in mud. In the course of the game I got involved in an incident where I was penalised for tripping up a player, but I got angry at this player and shortly later I punched him, and was sent off the field of play by the referee.
Coach looked furious. "You are really going to get it now" he said. I just sat on the bench and moped while we watched the game. It was down to the last 15 minutes and we were trailing 14 to 16. I don't know if I would have made a difference, but the final whistle blew and we had lost!
Coach just looked at me and said - "Get inside and get into position".
I knew what he meant. The tradition in our team was that if you ever were caned you'd go bend over the centre table in the locker room, and stretch so you held the other end of the table, and receive the strokes in front of your team-mates. You were always disciplined in playing kit - so tight cotton shorts worn over a jockstrap.
I got myself into position, and felt how tightly the shorts stretched over my bum. I was still damp from the rain and sweat, and quite muddy. I felt sore from all the rough and tumble of the game ... a thrashing was the last thing I needed.
I was quite scared because I didn't know how many strokes I'd get, given I was actually sent off. Coach didn't look like he was playing around. I had an awful feeling he'd be beating me "for real". Also I knew I'd get no sympathy from my team mates. So it was with a heavy heart that I heard them troop in.
As they walked passed my upturned butt, one or two of them slapped me saying "you really deserve this you stupid fu------t".
I then heard coach's heavy footsteps. He was 6'5" and pure muscle - he played in our state team in Rugby. I could tell someone was with him. As he walked around in front of me, I could see that it was the guy I'd punched ! He was grinning madly.
Coach then called everyone to silence.
He said : "Alright guys, you know what I said. I'd cane anyone who messed this game up through stupid actions. Well, Martin here has certainly done that! Also I've asked Johnson here to witness this, so he personally gain some satisfaction that our little thug here is
getting just what he deserves, but also so he can reassure his team and school that we don't stand for bad behaviour on the field of play."
There were murmurs of assent from my team-mates. Coach motioned them to form a semi-circle around my up-turned butt. Twenty lads in all - including Johnson and the replacement players. I was surprised when I heard Brookes our captain speak up:
"Sir ?" he asked, as coach rummaged through the special equipment locker. He pulled out a very heavy looking cane. I kept glancing at it nervously.
"Yes Brookes?"
"Well sir, " he began, as I began to hope he might try and reduce my sentence, "we've all been talking and just want to say that you should give Martin as many strokes as you can, as hard as you can- he deserves every one."
At this, the whole team laughed as if this were some colossal joke. I was the only player in the room not laughing. The guy from the other team - Johnson, was laughing his head off at my predicament.
I was shocked! What hypocrites my team-mates were turning out to be . I knew they were all upset, but all of them had done worse things on the field ! I couldn't believe they were saying this !
My anger boiled over and I stood to face Brookes and said "Thanks a lot mate - thanks all you guys its nice to know where I really stand, but don't come all morally self-righteous with me. We all know you all have done worse things on the field !"
"Martin!" snapped the coach, before Brookes could say anything in reply, "I didn't say you could stand or speak, so get your backside stretched over that bench - you'll take extra." At this he fished into the equipment locker again and pulled out another cane as well - it looked pretty big to me too !
"Yes, SIR" I snapped sullenly, as I stretched back over.
"Sir" ventured Brookes, "umm can I speak to Marty - I think there may be a misunderstanding ...."
The coach scowled and snapped: "No Brookes you may not speak with him. There may well be a mis-understanding, but Martin will pay the price ..."
I gulped nervously.
Coach continued saying " ... I was going to give him the maximum single punishment - 10 strokes with the senior sports cane....."
I gasped audibly. I heard other guys in the team gasp similarly. I now knew this was no joke - the senior sports cane was a legend in our school for once reducing the Captain of the rowing team to tears when he was beaten with it for getting drunk after winning the national championships. Of course he got 18 strokes on a backside clad only in lycra cycle shorts, but then again he was 17, and a lot bigger than I was at the time. This cane was unusually supple, and over one and a half inches thick, and 3 and a half feet long. It was used on sportsmen because they were supposed to be tougher, and able to handle more pain, and thus requiring a more severe thrashing than other boys.
"... However, since he got up without permission, I'm going to give him a follow-up caning of 5 strokes with a regular senior cane" concluded the coach. There was silence around the room. No-one had expected there to be such a severe caning today - least of all me !!
"Sir" ventured Brookes again "don't you think that's a bit harsh ?"
"You wanted me to give him a hell of a caning before " said Coach "- that's what I'm doing."
"Aww but we thought you were joking sir" said Brookes.
"Hah!" said Coach "well you were all wrong, and Martin here is paying the price boys - watch it, and he'll weep !1" Coach laughed at his little pun, but no one else joined in. No one else found anything funny in this situation - even the guy from the other school seemed to empathise with a fellow school-boy, about to be punished very painfully.
Coach turned away from the others and flexed the cane a couple of times in front of me saying "You'll really feel this boy !"
"Yes sir" was all I could say as he made his way back behind me and took
up position. I could feel him rest the cane on my butt, lining-up for
the first stroke.
"But sir" blurted out Brookes again "I really think this isn't fair !" I looked around and was gratified to see the other guys nodding.
"Look Brookes, all of you" said Coach turning back to look at them all, and speaking very firmly "I'm getting tired of arguing, I'm giving Martin a severe caning for breaking our agreement about on-field behaviour. It's my decision, not a matter for democracy, so unless you want to join Martin in getting your backsides whacked you'll all shut up and let me get on with it."
Coach glanced around the room. No-one spoke. All the guys were focused on their shoes - embarrassed to be watching my caning, but not wanting to protest so to avoid getting his own backside being striped. So, the Coach turned back towards my upturned bum.
"OK count each one" he barked as he drew the cane back and whacked into my butt.
TWACK!! "Owww sir ... that's one !", I gasped in pain as a fiery, stinging pain shot through my buttocks. I could hear a few gasps behind me as my team-mates realised how much it hurt.
TWACK!! "Ahhh, sir that hurts ... it's two"
TWACK !! "Oww sir, don't hit me so hard sir "
"Count boy, or you'll get even more extra strokes" warned Coach, as he drew back
again
SWISH WHACK !! "Owww" I wailed " that's four "
TWACK! "Ohhhh sir that's five , I'll be good I promise if you'll stop" I pleaded, as tears streamed down my face.
TWACK ! "Six sir" I groaned between clenched teeth.
Coach paused a moment as I moaned quietly. He turned to my team-mates and said to them "So, do you think he's had enough ?"
I heard Brookes speak-up and say: "I think he's learnt his lesson sir" adding sheepishly "we didn't realise you were really going to get caned Marty - we thought it was a joke, honest"
"Aha - the voice of regrets" said Coach, "I hope this experience serves as a lesson to you all. ... but I agree that 10 is very harsh, so I'll only give him two more from the sports cane, provided one of you other guys takes the 5 senior cane strokes he's due!"
That brought silence from the whole team. I was in turmoil. I wanted to avoid the full punishment, but didn't much like the idea of someone-else getting it instead of me.
"OK" I heard spoken in a very soft, hesitant voice, then "OK" more forcefully in the voice of Brookes. He spoke with obviously false bravado when he said "I'll take the five extra sir".
I was torn. I had to speak. "Please sir" I blurted out "may I stand and speak ?"
"Alright Martin " agreed Coach as I straightened slowly and painfully. I took in a slow breath and turned to face Brookes and said "Look Brookesey, I can't let you take a caning for me - although I appreciate the offer." I reluctantly turned to Coach and said "Sir, I'll take the full punishment I'm due."
"But mate, " he said " you're only getting these extra because of our stupid joke"
"Aright guys" said the Coach "let's resolve this - I'll give Martin two more with the Sports cane, and then two with the Senior cane, and you Brookes can have three from the Senior cane. Will that resolve this little display of chivalry ?"
I nodded enthusiastically, glad to have resolved this so that Brookes wasn't taking my whole punishment for me. "Yes sir, I agree sir, and thank-you sir"
Brookes was less certain but nod and said "OK sir".
I stretched back over the bench, and Coach turned back to line the sports cane up with my backside.
"Right" he said, drawing the cane right back, before swishing it down and whacking into my butt.
TWACKK! "Owwww" I wailed as my butt felt like it was back on fire "that's seven"
"Only one more " said Coach, "but it's really going to hurt!"
With that he stepped back a pace and took a two step run-up as he swung the cane into my bum.
WHACK! "Shhhhhit !" I screamed, as I bucked forward, and could barely stop myself from standing up. I took a moment to regain my breath and groan "eight".
The group were in silence. Coach stood behind me as I sobbed while lying on the bench. He gently put a hand on my back.
"You took that well" said Coach "but there is the matter of swearing ... I can't allow that
to go unchallenged !" He then slapped me once across the butt. I yelped in surprise, and he said "there you are, one extra stroke!" He then patted my back saying - "you may stand and have a rest. I'll give Brookes his three before I come back to you."
I slowly got up off the table, my butt throbbing with pain. My team-mates looked shocked, but as I straightened, Brookes came over and put an arm over my shoulder in a friendly gesture asking "how's it feel ?"
I just grunted "Sore ",
"Come on Brookes" said Coach, as he put the Sports cane away and picked up the thinner Senior cane. This cane was used on guys of our age with great regularity - so I knew that Brookesey would be able to take three without a problem.
He sighed and walked over to the bench and stretched his body across it. He backside was tightly clad in his cotton Rugby shorts, which were still caked in mud from the game. His jersey was hanging out of his shorts, and his socks were down around his ankles. He looked a mess, but I felt really honoured that he'd put his butt on the line for me like this.
"Ready ?" asked Coach.
"Yes sir" came Brookes' voice.
"Don't count these - they'll be quick" said Coach.
Whack! Whack ! Whack! the strokes pounded into his backside, which shuddered with the impacts. As expected Brookes didn't make a sound. At Coach's nod, he stood slowly and smiled sheepishly and rubbed his backside. Brookes walked over to stand by me - giving me a reassuring smile.
My backside was still really sore, and throbbing with the pain from the caning. I'd stopped crying though, and was feeling more in control of the pain, but while Brookes took his strokes, my butt clenched in sympathy with every impact.
At the Coach's nod I went back over to the bench and resumed position and agreed I was ready. Again he said not to bother counting, when suddenly.
Whack! Whack!
And it was al over ! My butt was aflame with pain again as the strokes re-ignited the fresh pain in every one of the original eight strokes. I was glad I didn't have to take another three - it would have been pure agony. I owed Brookes big time !
"OK guys" said Coach "show's over - get cleaned up and changed and go enjoy your the rest of your Saturday - now Martin and Brookes I want to see you in my office once you're cleaned up".
As soon as Coach walked out of the room, followed by Johnson, the team clustered around Brookes and I. I was overwhelmed by sympathetic gestures and offers of support from all the guys, who were feeling really guilty about adding to my punishment- albeit unintentionally. There was a huge amount of admiration of Brookes for taking the cane for me. I made a point of thanking him in front of all the team.
I soon found myself giving them detailed descriptions of what the strokes from the Sports Cane felt like. As we all showered, they all inspected the stripes running in parallel across both cheeks of my butt.
I almost felt human (albeit one with a very sore backside) when I stood alongside Brookes and knocked on Coach's door, He looked up and smiled.
"Come in fellas. Are you both OK? " he asked.
"Yes sir" I said " but pretty sore"
"I'm OK" agreed Brookes.
"Hmm " he nodded with a smile before adding "I just wanted to explain
why I did that to you two"
"Sir?" we asked in unison.
"You Martin and the team are all mates again, aren't you ?" he asked, although
he already knew .
"Ummm, yes, I guess" I said remembering that we were all meeting up outside the school-gates to go and get hamburgers. Brookes nodded in agreement.
"Do you know why ?" he asked.
"Well they were all really concerned about how I was after the caning sir, and explained that they hadn't intended to get me into that much trouble" I explained "they all felt really guilty, even though it was mostly my own fault"
"That's right" coach said in agreement " I hoped that's what would happen".
"Sir?" I asked
"Martin, if I hadn't done this, you really would have struggled to re-integrate with the team, many of whom would have privately felt you had let them down, and that you'd got away with it - now, for the price of a sore backside you're all friends again, and I will have your services for a senior team next year"
I was shocked, and just mumbled "Yes sir".
"And you Brookes" continued Coach "needed a test of leadership. The whole set up of Martin was really childish and as Team Captain you shouldn't have participated in it, that said, I'm really proud of the way you then made yourself personally accountable for the actions of your team and volunteered to shoulder some of the punishment."
Now it was Brookes' turn to mumble "yes sir" in shock. It seemed we'd both been taught a different lesson from what we thought. We shared a glance of mutual understanding.
"I bet you Martin would be able to take the caning well, and I was right" he said as he held out his hand adding "well done, and I'll look forward to your penalty free play - next season !"
"And, I bet that Brookes, would step forward to take leadership responsibility" he added, before putting out his hand out to my team captain, who took it with a smile "So well done to you too. I'll look forward to you both playing a leadership role in next year's team".
I muttered "Yes sir, thank-you sir", and so did Brookes. As I turned to leave as Coach patted me on the shoulder and wished me luck.
We walked painfully out the school-gates, where we saw the whole team, plus many of
the opposition team. I could tell I was going to have to re-tell the entire story again and again over burgers!
Johnson came forward and asked "They wanted to know how you are, after I told them what had happened so I thought we might come along with you guys - is that cool ?" I just nodded with a smile.
My friend McWhirter came up to me and asked what coach had said. I laughed, and rubbed my jeans covered backside and said "He told me that he'd caned me like that, just to make sure we'd stay friends and continue to be team-mates".
Despite the pain in my butt as we made our way down the street, I couldn't help but laugh at the puzzled expression on the face of my friends (allstill my friends thanks to Coach!).