Robert's lesson in table manners
This is the fifth in a series of Robbie's schooling sagas ( all based on truth), readers might like to read Trilogy and Extra Gym before this present offering.
Assembly had been both longer and more boring than usual, but now it was coming to an obvious close, the boys began to stir as their headmaster strode towards the steps leading from the stage. Just as he reached the steps the headmaster stopped turned to face the regiment of schoolboys and peered at a scrap of paper he had fished from his pocket.
"Immediately after assembly I want to see the following boys in my office - Barrowcliffe, Boulton , Hammond, Harris, Willis and WILSON all from tutor group 1W ".
As the rest of the school left for lessons our intrepid six trooped in the opposite direction and lined up in the corridor outside of the Head's study. This was an unlikely grouping of lads who seemed to have nothing in common with each other and apart from being in the same form- had few shared interests and activities. Barrowcliffe and Boulton were inseparable, Hammond and Willis were keen on sports and were rather poor students, Harris never got into any trouble ( the swot) and Wilson had only just been forgiven for being the new boy- he was still carving a circle of friends and accomplices but probably it would include none of this group. Each boy was hard pressed to think of the heinous event which could have united them in this combination. They knew there was another door leading from the school office into the Heads room and soon they could hear from the conversation the other side of the door that he had been joined by some other person. The door opened and Mr Idle ( a very new chemistry teacher ) bade them enter. Inside stood the headmaster- he looked to be in a bad humour his black gown lay on the desk but the six pairs of first form eyes were drawn to the cane which also was laid on the desk. Idle shut the door behind them.
The headmaster had not been impressed by Mr Idle- doubtless his knowledge of chemistry was fine but it was not advanced enough for him to teach the senior classes and he was unable to keep discipline amongst the lower school. He was becoming tired of having to sort out Idle's discipline problems, but not to have supported the master would only have caused more trouble.
" You know why you're here he accused - I wont tolerate such loutish behaviour in the dining hall - I will give each of you three strokes - Barrowcliffe you first".
Alistair Barrowcliffe took off his blazer, handed it to Boulton and began the long walk to the middle of the study and the point on the carpet being indicated by the tip of the cane. Just as his hands began to undo his trousers and send them on their downward way, the silence was gently but firmly broken.
"Excuse me sir, I don't know what I've done wrong, may I ask why I am going to be caned? Please." It could only have been Wilson, and whilst his face might have shown confusion the otherfive boys were aghast at his temerity and naivety, Idle was nonplussed and the Head was clearly not amused at this insolent and time wasting complication.
"Mr Idle tells me - and I have no reason to disbelieve him- that during his lunch duty last Wednesday your table was unruly and bad mannered. When he kept you back to help tidy up, things were no better and one of you had the audacity to throw a cleaning cloth at him, fortunately for you he can't be sure which one of you was the instigator of this particular act of defiance. Does that refresh your memory? Can we begin? Barrowcliffe Trousers and pants down bendover no right down and touch your toes".
To Robbie Wilson's recollection this was a gross exaggeration of the event, but already he'd learnt that sometimes you couldn't win no matter how unjust, and taking things on the chin ( or the bum )was often the best way.
Robbie had a strange sense of humour and occasion. He knew very well that within minutes his backside would be very sore, but as he watched the hapless Barrowcliffe bare and bend he caught himself musing that he was going to enjoy a grandstand view of five bare arses. He also considered the coincidence whereby the briefs about Barrowcliffe's ankles were an exact match for the scarlet red his backside was now turning.
Barrowcliffe's place was taken by Boulton and in turn Harris who had a surprisingly cute arse-which caused Robbie to became aware of his growing erection and he hoped he would be able to lose or mask it. As Willis in turn hitched up his underpants, Robbie noticed how the red horizontal cane marks showed through the thin cotton material of his briefs and together with the red and white vertical stripes of this garment gave a sort of cross hatch effect to the lads rump. These thoughts slowed down Robbies advancement towards his own beating and the Head was becoming impatient. When he was sure he was square on to the Head, Robbie lowered his trousers and Y-fronts and bent over, all in one continuous movement, in this way he had hoped to obscure his erect state. Gripping his ankles and trying to brace himself against the first cut, Robbie was alarmed to see that Idle was exactly aligned with and looking at precisely that part of his anatomy. Nano-seconds before the cane struck his rear, Robbie's face began to blush.
Robbie knew better than to get up, but after the third stroke he began to relax and unwittingly straightened his back just enough to be noticed.
"WILSON - get back down no one told you to move"
Two absolute stingers savaged him. The first elicited a loud gasp as it cut diagonally across the standard three, the second looked as if it was going to topple Wilson to the ground, It hit low -just where the thighs curve up into the buttocks- and to the boys watching the cane was lost from sight as it bit so deeply that the skin closed around it for a moment.
"Now Wilson you really can stand up -yes and pull up your clothes- do I have to tell you every thing?"
Before being dismissed, the group had to wait whilst a notice of punishment was prepared. Barrowcliffe was tasked with pinning the wretched thing on the discipline notice board. It read
"Headmasters caning 13 May Barrowcliffe A, Boulton T, Hammond A, Harris D, Willis G. all form 1W 3 strokes -inappropriate behaviour in the dinning hall Wilson RJ form 1W 5 strokes as above plus insubordination".
This notice would be on display for one week.
After some time spent in the bogs conducting the obligatory mutual inspection of damaged bum flesh the six had rejoined their form for the last ten minutes of Latin. As Robbie eased himself into his seat and grimaced, Bateson ( whom he sat next to ) whispered into his ear
" I will enjoy having a good look at that lot this evening just wait till we get home."
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