Authors note: This is part 2 of a series of stories covering John David's college days. It is suggested that "Pledge Dave" be read first. This story is dedicated to Joe Kari.
When the day arrived for our initiation into the brotherhood of Sigma Pi Kappa, my pledge brothers and I reported to the house as soon as our last class let out. By 5:00 all of the pledges had arrived and the final preparations were being made. We all filed into the dining hall at 6:00 for dinner.
After dinner Jeremy and I went with Bill and Brian to their room. We were told to strip and Bill and Brian also stripped. We went to the shower room and eventually all of the pledges were in the showers being bathed by their big brothers. Bill spent a long time soaping and rinsing my bottom. I guess since that part of my anatomy was going to be on display, it had better be nice and clean. With all the attention Bill was paying to my butt and the warm water of the shower, I was sporting quite an erection. Fortunately so were the rest of the pledges.
After we were cleaned and dried, each pledge was given a t-shirt to wear. The shirt was short enough that when looking at a pledge from the back, his entire bottom was visible. Bill and Brian gave Jeremy and I several playful slaps on our buns. Brian and Bill dressed in a t-shirt and boxers. Then they put on a long red robe with a hood. Bill and Brian gave us some last minute instructions and the four of us did a brotherly shot of Bushmills before heading down to the main hall of the house.
Jeremy and I were told to join the rest of the pledges while Bill and Brian joined their fellow sophomores who were also wearing their robes. Most of the brotherhood was in the chapter hall waiting for the ceremony to begin. At this point the officers of the house came into the hall wearing their robes to indicate it was time to begin. Joe, Chris, Jim, and Doug were all officers so they came over to Jeremy and I to give us a hug and a smack on the butt. Since we were naked from the waist down, I was busy sneaking peeks at my pledge brothers' bare butts.
As the clock in the main hall struck eight, it was time to begin. The lights were dimmed and the assembled brotherhood stood up to sing the fraternity song, "All Brothers of this Noble House", to the tune "Old Hundreth".The sophomores, carrying candles processed in first, followed by the pledges, and finally the officers. Joe, being the chapter president, entered the room last. The sophomores placed the candles around the room, which was somewhat like an auditorium. At the front was a platform that on either side had tables for the officers to sit. (At regular chapter meetings, both tables were in the center) In the center was a vaulting horse.
When all had assembled, Joe picked up the initiation paddle from his table and asked the pledges and their sponsors to stand. The sponsors were asked if the pledges had proven themselves worthy to be initiated. They responded yes. The pledges were asked if they were ready to be accepted as full members of the brotherhood with all of the duties and privileges. We responded yes.
Each pledge was called forward in turn. His "family", his senior, junior, and sophomore big brothers joined him. The pledge was led by the junior and senior to the vaulting horse and was told to assume the position. The house president gave the sophomore the paddle. The sophomore gave the pledge ten swats on his bare bottom to which the pledge gave the appropriate response. I watched pledge brother after pledge brother take his swats on the bare bottom in front of the entire frat. Eventually it was my turn. Since Joe was my senior big brother, Chris took over in calling out:
"John David Timlin."
Bill and I walked up to the center of the platform and were met by Joe and Jim. Joe and Jim put their hands on my shoulder and led me to the vaulting horse. Joe told me to assume the position and I bent over the horse. Joe and Jim moved aside and Chris presented Bill with the paddle.
Whack!
"Thank you Sir! May I have another."
Whack!
"Thank you Sir! May I have another."
I took my ten swats and Bill gave the paddle back to Chris. Bill, Jim, and Joe walked over to me and hugged me. Jim gave me a pair of boxer shorts to put on and Joe gave me a shot of Jack Daniels. I walked over to where my fellow new initiates were and hugged each of them. I turned around and faced the platform to watch as Joe called out:
"Jeremy Richard Tulley."
I watched as my best friend bent over the horse and took his ten swats from Brian. When his were done and he had his hug and shot with Brian, Doug, and Chris, he came over and hugged the other new initiates, saving me for last.
"Congratulations buddy!" I said as Jeremy threw his arms around me.
"Congratulations to you too bud!"
After all of the pledges were initiated, the beer was brought in. For this event cases rather than kegs of Bud, Bud Light, and Busch were used to spare the new initiates from having to pump kegs at this celebration in their honour. We drank until the wee hours of the morning. Jeremy and I staggered together singing "I Believe" by R. E.M. Bill and Brian were in even worse shape and when we woke up the next morning they were the ones who puked. Jeremy and I took very good care of them. Of course we did make them lie on the bed with their bottoms bared so we could take their temperatures and make sure it wasn't the flu or something like that.
I look back on my freshman year with fond memories. Jeremy and I became the best of friends and were pretty much inseparable. We somehow managed to see the other through Calculus. Neither one of us did that well, and we got plenty of spankings from our older brothers as a result. In our defence, we took the real Calculus (M215) while Bill, Brian, Jim, and Doug, had all taken the survey course (M119).
Bill and I also spent alot of time together. Even though he was my big brother, I think Bill spent as much time across my knees getting his bottom spanked as I did across his. We were in a couple of classes together since I had AP credit and was able to take some sophomore classes.
Bill and I were in the same Econ classes both terms. We had Micro in the fall and Macro in the winter. The unfair thing about these classes was that even though there were 16 different sections, some taught by Profs, and others by TAs, the exams are departmental. Bill and I got stuck with a Commie TA for Micro. All he did was ramble on and on about how much he hated Ronald Reagan, instead of properly covering the material. We were screwed. I got a C+ and Bill got a C-. Joe and Jim paddled us for that lousy performance. Bill and I promised to do better the next term.
We really lucked out for Macro. We got Dr. Phillips, who was not only the department chairman, but also the author of the textbook we used. Dr. Phillips was a riot and said things like:
"Now suppose you put on the news and some asshole says that GDP has grown at 3.2% in the second quarter. What the hell does that mean?"
The class roared with laughter. It was easy to pay attention in Phillips' class as he was so animated. Bill and I were both dreading it when the results of our first exam were to be announced. Phillips passed around a sheet with the exam "statistics" showing the distribution of grades. There was also a column that said "Winners List".
"Hey Dave look at this" Bill said as he poked me in the ribs.
"What?"
"Look at the Winners List."
I looked down the list of names and saw John David Timlin 97. I was over the moon. Bill was worried. I don't think he was expecting an A but I knew my grade and didn't have to wait to get my exam back. Bill finally got his, an 82 meaning a B-. Bill looked at me and said:
"Dave can I hire you as a tutor?"
"Sure you can, but we study together anyway. Maybe I'll have to give you more spankings."
"Maybe you will. Dude I've got to improve my grades or there is no way I'll be getting in the Business School."
I walked back to the frat house with Bill and we were greeted by Jim and Joe. Jim was holding a copy of the Econ stats sheet. I had no idea where he got if from but he was beaming with pride.
"Congratulations Dave!" we are very proud of you.
"Thanks guys!"
"How did you do Bill?" Jim asked
"I got an 82"
"A B-. Not that good Bill." said Joe
"I think you need an incentive to do better." said Jim
All four of us went up to Joe and Chris's room. Bill had to strip and lie across my knee for fifty spanks on his bare bottom. The he had to bend over while Jim and Joe each gave him five swats with the paddle. I am pleased to report that I got an A and Bill a B+ in Macro.
I also spent time with Jim especially on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. We shared the same passions in football, Notre Dame, and the Chicago Bears. We would get a case of Bud and watch the games together. Sometimes there would be other brothers with us, but other times it was just Jim and I. Spankings were common between us. Jim usually found a reason for the two of us to spank each other. Even though Jim really didn't need a reason to spank me, he always made up these "rules" where the penalty was a spanking. Jim violated the rules as often as I did.
While Jim and I enjoyed spanking each other, we really enjoyed getting spanked together. We managed to accomplish this a few times, most memorably during a game between the Bears and the Detroit Lions. The stupid ref made a terrible call and took a touchdown away from the Bears. Jim and I were drunk and livid. We both jumped up and down swearing at the television. Joe and Bill, who were watching the game with us, decided enough was enough. Jim and I were told to drop our jeans and assume the position. We dropped our jeans and Jim lay across Joe's knees and I lay across Bill's knees. Our undershorts were pulled down and each of us received fifty spanks on our bare bottoms.
As much as I loved Jeremy, Bill, and Jim, I think I was actually closest to my senior big brother, Joe. The two of us seemed to be soul mates, and we would often spend time talking and drinking and just hanging out. Many a Sunday night was spent sharing a pizza, and a six-pack watching some video for the fifth or sixth time. We always found some reason to spank each other. We played trivial pursuit where wrong answers accumulated spanks and of course the winner got to spank the loser.
Joe was also a big help with my home-brewing hobby. My chemist father had taught me how to make beer at home when I was 16. I had brought the equipment with me when I moved into the frat house. While Jeremy, Bill, and Jim were always willing to help me with the drinking of the home brew. Joe was the only one I could rely on to help me with the brewing and bottling.
As the year was coming to an end and the house held elections for next years officers, Joe decided that I should be house treasurer. With the outgoing president in charge of my campaign, I couldn't lose. The election resulted in Jim as president, Doug as vice president, me as treasurer and Jeremy and chairman of the pledge committee, among others. The house tradition called for an inauguration with the emeritus officer paddling the newly elected officer. When it was my turn, I approached the vaulting horse dressed in a t-shirt and boxers. I bent over the horse and Jim pulled my boxers down and gave me the traditional ten swats. After I pulled my boxers up and turned around, Jim helped me into the robe I would wear as treasurer.
After final exams were done with, I spent my last night on campus with Joe. Most of the rest of the brothers, including Jeremy and Chris, had already gone home. We ordered a pizza, talked and polished off what remained of the last batch of home brew I had made.
"Congrats on being elected treasurer buddy. You will be a shoo-in for president in two years."
"Without you to run my campaign?"
"I think Bill and Brian will take care of things. And remember, I can always come back and paddle your butt if I hear you need it."
"I'm sure I'll be needing it alot in that case."
I went back to my room and passed out. The next morning I woke Joe up and we went to the showers together. Some idiot had thrown a beer bottle in the stalls so Joe found a broom to sweep it up. We went to breakfast and had our final meal of Crunch Berries, coffee and juice together. We went up to Joe's room so I could help him finish packing. It was decided that we should each give the other one hundred smacks on the bare bottom with our hands and five swats with the paddle. I drove back home with a sore butt and an erection that took along time to subside. I was going to miss Joe alot, but I still had Jeremy, Bill and Jim. Besides I couldn't wait for the next fall when I would have my own pledge to look after.