Robert Wilson checked into his hotel, poured himself a large whisky from the minibar and rapidly unpacked his bag. He undressed and headed for the shower - he needed the cold water to clear his head and cool his backside, for the events of that afternoon had left his brain as numb as his backside was sore
Aged 28 Robert was well advanced on the first few rungs of his professional ladder. After university and a law degree he had spent three years in the army-and it still showed, he was "dirty blond", just over 6 foot tall, fit, agile and at just 70 kg quite lean. Whilst in the army, the female contingent had voted that in army denims his was the _s_e_x_iest arse in the unit. Sadly for them, none had seen it in the flesh. Now as a company lawyer he was winning respect and trust but was perhaps showing an arrogance and selfishness that belied the wide smile and blue eyes.
The day had begun well, he had spent most of the morning working at home followed by an hour or so with his masseuse (who as always had secretly admired that same backside)- a bit of a personal indulgence but why not? The afternoon was to be given over to a leisurely drive of nearly two hundred miles so that he could be on site in good time for a rather interesting and important meeting tomorrow morning. After the meeting he had intended to steal a couple of hours to look at a boat he was intending to buy, assuming of course that he could beat the price down enough. Earlier in the week whilst he had been planning for the meeting, Robert had been visited by Jenkins the company's chief executive and after discussing their plans Jenkins had asked Robert to make a small detour on his journey so that he might deliver a package to one Major. Bowman (retd). "He's been associated with the company for a long time and I'd like you to deliver this bag to him", he said indicating a black leather holdall,"he'll give you an envelope to bring back". Robert hadn't thought that 70 miles was a "small detour" but no matter -he had put the bag in the boot of his car and thought no more about it. The journey had been pleasant and he had concentrated on his driving and the meeting so much that he had overshot the motorway exit for Major. Bowman , Jenkins had said that he was expected at 4-00pm but Robert had not thought that this had been intended to be more than an approximation.
When he answered the door Major. Bowman had given Robert two surprises; first he demanded to know why he was late? And then commented that previous people from the company had always worn business suits, whilst Robert looked as if he was about to go to the pub. Robert entered the house and placed the bag on a table in exchange he was given an envelope addressed to himself "I think you'd better read it's contents" he was told- inside on a sheet of the company's paper was a hand written note from Jenkins. The hand writing was as distinctive as was the purple ink used in his Waterman pen, it could not be from any one other than his boss.
"Robert", he read "you could have a bright future with this company, but not everything is perfect. As our major shareholder. Peter Bowman is very influential, you don't have to follow his proposals but unless you do I am afraid we will have to lose you from the firm. It is he who will decide your future and there is little point in you coming back to the office without the report he will write about you."
In answer to his unasked question he was told "you have been behaving like a prima donna -that's not good for my company and we need to persuade you to change your ways. Bring the bag and follow me upstairs." They entered a room furnished like a spartan school room . "Put the bag there and come and stand by me , " Bowman sat on a straight back chair in the middle of the room " now drop your trousers and get over my knee, Come on quickly boy - do you want to keep you job or not?"
The spanking had not been too bad, embarrassing and uncomfortable certainly, but a price worth paying. "Now young man if you are going to behave like a twelve year old school boy we will treat you as one, you'd better take off your clothes- STRIP". Hesitantly Robert undressed. standing in only his silk boxer shorts he thought he was complying with the order and was mortified to hear the response ... "and the pants sonny, take off the pants". The word "sonny" grated but then he supposed it was meant to.
It seemed like an age, not only was Robert wholly bare but this man seemed to examine not just his body but also his mind and soul, he felt he could hide nothing from the major. "Inside the bag are the clothes you will put on" the thought of getting dressed was a relief - but not for long, for these were the types of clothes he had worn to prep school when he was twelve years old, shorts, white cotton briefs, school shirt and a striped tie. There was another worry, for he saw that on a desk by Bowman lay a collection of ominous looking items partly covered by a towel but he could see the crook handle of a cane and what might be the outline of a slipper.
Dressed as a schoolboy, Robert had to stand and listen to a catalogue of his crimes, it seemed he was:- Casual about time keeping, never with clients or partners but to such an extent that it made the day difficult for the admin staff Tardy in returning files and reference books that others might need Slack about keeping the office aware of his movements between buildings and cases Negligent about deadlines set by his peers Reluctant to undertake routine boring tasks rather than the interesting and prestigious cases Likely to be abrupt or even rude to office staff. Persisting in having an untidy office even though the impact this had on clients had been discussed with him.
There had been other faults as well, but it was summed up by a quote from a secretary -"It will be unbearable if ever he becomes a partner, he already thinks he's God."
Bowman had decided to punish him separately for each of the most serious matters and the memory was confused and painful. He could not remember all the details but the majority shareholder had worked his way through most of the instruments laid out on the desk and had used them whilst Robert was in various positions and states of undress.
The episodes had blurred into one continuum but he did remember that each punishment had been linked to a specific offence, e. g. for not keeping the office aware of you movements I will punish you with the strap. He had started dressed and touching his toes and thought it had finished when he had suffered the fourth caning on his bare buttocks
But the worst experience had come at the end of the long session. He had thought that it was finished, but instead he had been made to strip completely and then put back over the knee. Apart from the sheer humiliation (for spanking is a particularly intimate and juvenile form of punishment) it was an opportunity for the major and his paddle to attend to any parts of Robert's backside which seemed to have escaped treatment so far. He stayed there till Bowman was quite sure that no area was left without pain.
In all it had lasted about an hour though it had seemed much longer. But Robert was not convinced that it was yet a closed chapter. He had been told to stand in the corner of the schoolroom - still nude- whilst the major wrote his report. Bowman asked for the number of Robert's mobile phone, in exchange he gave Robert a slip of paper and told him to read it.
"1 being casual about time keeping shorts down - 12 strokes with leather paddle 2 lacking respect for others shorts down - 12 strokes with wooden metre rule 3 communication problem shorts and briefs down- 12 strokes leather strap + 2 extra for bad manners 4 negligence with office equipment shorts off - 6 strokes across underpants -thin cane 5 selfishness pants down - 10 strokes -medium cane + 2 for ingratitude 6 egoistic behaviour shirt off- briefs only 10-stroke dragon cane 7 rude to junior staff underpants down (to ankles) 12 strokes senior cane 8 Embarrassment factor naked - over knee spanking and paddling.
Wilson now knows that he must visit me whenever I phone him. I feel that you will now see a better side of him."
"I have faxed this to your office" the major said "it will be waiting for Jenkins in the morning." Robert was dismayed, Jenkins had undoubtedly left by now, but Robert realised that the fax would be lying around in an open office for any cleaner or junior to read if they so wished . Obviously the wretched thing would be seen by Jenkins' secretary before she passed it on to the great man. On the one hand this augured that he might have a future with the company but on the other it also hinted that repeat visits to Major Bowman might be intended.
In the shower Robert soaped his right cheek and explored a particularly low weal, the whisky had warmed his spirits and the water was cooling his skin though it was probable that he would not dare to go near a masseuse for two weeks or so. He was brought out of the reverie by the ringing of his mobile phone, in his haste to answer the thing he slipped on the tiles and sprawled on the floor thus causing a new pain which he could not blame on. Bowman's ministrations. As he answered he heard a voice he recognized as belonging to that man. "Wilson, I've thought of a couple more points we need to settle, your meeting should be finished by noon so be here by three tomorrow and do be on time!"
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