The next morning, I was one of the first to get up and get in the bathroom - usually dad was in first, but I reckon I was usually second. As I was going through my routine a remembered the day before, thinking how well it had worked out. I got to spank my little brother, make up with him, and get really into my parents good books. A result.
As I went back to my bedroom, and started to get dressed, I was thinking how well things had worked out. As I pulled on my recently acquired long trousers, I took a look in the mirror, and thinking how smart I looked, with a blush of pride. I was thinking about the other two boys in my class who were still in shorts and how much stick they got from the other boys about it. I was just collecting my last bits together to go downstairs when I heard a commotion outside in the hallway.
From what I cold hear, Dad was having a go at Scottie about something. I strained to hear what was going on.
"Who did this to you Scott?" demanded my dad
"What do you mean?"
"Your bottom is red - its been spanked - who has been spanking you? No one spanks my sons - Who has done this to you? It cant be School - I would have seen before this morning - Who? Tell me Scott!"
"Umm..Ummm....Ummm It was nothing" I could hear Scott stalling. Uh-oh this was trouble.
"Scott - I wont ask you again; tell me now or I'll add some more spanks to your bottom!" demanded our dad. 'Please dont say' I pleaded inside, 'dont say', 'dont say', 'dont say'! Obviously Scott hadn't said anything because the next sounds were the unmistakable hand on flesh, and the cries of a little boy having his bottom spanked. I cold no longer hear what was being said though. My heart dropped.
"Joshua - will you come out here please!" demanded my dad. With a heavy heart I opened my door to the hallway to see a rather tearful little brother and a very stern dad. "Good - I will only ask this once, and I expect an honest answer. Did you spank Scott's bottom yesterday while you were looking after things?"
I know I couldn't lie, a I imagine Scott had told the truth under heavy interrogation. "Yes Daddy I did!" I mumbled, not quite meeting his piercing gaze.
"What got into you thinking you cold hit your brother like that?" demanded my father "you have no right - no right whatsoever."
"But daddy, I can exp....." I tried
"Enough!" said my dad holding up his hand. "I dont want to get into it now - you've got to get to school and so has Scott. We will sort this out tonight. Get yourself off to school - and you Scott - hurry up and get ready or you will be late!"
As I passed my little brother he glanced apologetically. As I saw his bottom I realised what had happened. It was still quite red - it was obvious he had been spanked, and dad had clearly noticed as Scott went to the bathroom to get washed.
It wasn't the best day I had at school either. For most of the morning I couldn't help thinking about the trouble at home, and in the afternoon, I got caught up in some teasing with one of those lads still in shorts in my class. We were chanting 'Baby' and generally making life miserable for the kid until a house master came in, attracted by all the noise. The little Git singled me and another by out as the ring leaders. I couldn't believe it! I just joined in - at the end no less, but for whatever reason the kid wanted to get even about something, so singled me out for blame.
I was given a lecture about bullying, and told to see the head at home-time. That's all I needed - it could either mean a lecture, detentions, or even the cane! Then in my last lesson - Latin, I was caught glancing at another boys vocab test paper and accused by the master of trying to cheat. Nothing could be further from the truth as I had finished - and was just gazing around the room. Nevertheless, despite my pleas to the contrary, another chit went to the headmaster
So it was with some trepidation that I arrived at the Headmaster's study knowing he was thinking that I was a cheat and a bully.
"Well Anderson, this is an unpleasant surprise" began the Head. " you would have been one of the last people I would have expected to be a cheat or bully - that you are both is quite extraordinary!"
"But Sir! I can explain!" I attempted
"Can you?!" enquired the Head, arching his big bushy eyebrows "both masters seemed certain of your crimes - why do you think you are innocent?" he smirked
"Please Sir, I only joined in with the chanting, I didn't start it - and as for the Latin, I had finished!" I blurted, wishing I had more detail to impress with
"Anderson, the fact you were involved is bad enough - dont you think that you are making young Stephen's life misery?!" he demanded
I know Steve was upset about it, so I couldn't really deny this. "yes Sir" I answered
"And when you have finished your test, if you had seen an answer that was more likely to be right from another boy whilst 'looking around' you would have changed it wouldn't you?!" demanded the head again.
I went red now, as this is exactly what tends to happen. I always finish quick, and it is a good time at the end to see what other answers are around! "Um, yes Sir" I mumbled
"So a Cheat and a Bully then. " concluded the Head. "As I said, I am surprised in you. Nevertheless, I have had to cane you before, and today in no exception. This time though I see you are in Longs. I think you know the routine though - so off you go. I will see you in a moment.
"Yes Sir" I mumbled, bright red. I did know the routine, so I quietly left the office. Although we were not caned bare bottomed., we were not allowed much protection. In the sports changing room hung a couple of pairs of red coloured nylon / polyester shorts. They are the type that some boys wear to do gym, or occasionally swim in - but because they go completely transparent when they get wet this is rare! Basically they are thin, flimsy an in this case because of the colour, all the boys know what it means when they see another boy wearing then - that he is to be caned!
By the time I arrived at the changing rooms, a bunch of the youngest kids were in there changing for swimming. The red Shorts were always in the far corner, so I picked my way through the changing rooms, ad began to take all my clothes off. All the little kids were obviously interested - and I hated showing my body to such little boys. Still I was soon naked, pulling down my relatively new underpants and reached for the red shorts that countless other boys had warn before me. A gasp of recognition and whispered conversations greeted me as I pulled the red shorts gingerly over my bare bottom. I carefully folded my clothes, and picked my way back out of the changing rooms, noting that it was much quieter than when I arrived. The little boys wouldn't quite meet my eyes as I walked past - they knew I was to be caned!
If it was anything like me whilst I had been in there when another lad had come in for the red shorts, they would be planning how to be still in there in about 20 minutes! Still, I walked down the long corridor, barefoot in just these red shorts, back to the headmaster.
I knocked, but was told to wait outside. I stood against the wall, in full view of all the fait that was about to befall me. I couldn't believe the injustice of it. I hadn't been caned since I was allowed Longs, so it was my first experience in red shorts. To make matters worse, Steve (the lad we had taunted) walked past in his shorts, grinning at me, the rubbing his own bottom as he passed. I hated him!
The door opened ant the Head allowed me to enter his office I was expecting a long lecture, but instead, I was just told to grab my ankles and prepare for my caning. As I gingerly bent double and grabbed my ankles as commanded, I could feel the flimsy fabric stretch over my buttocks. My last punishment was a slippering about a month ago, So for me, I had not been punished for a while.
"Are you ready boy? Remember to count - or we start again!" reminded the head
"Yes Sir!" I stammered, eyes closed
"Very Well!"
I could hear the whistle of the cane and the impact before I felt anything - but Feel I did. Maybe a split second after hearing the impact the pain hit me. "One!" I cried out. With the Head you never knew how many. You could expect. Many boys said that was the worse thing about it - they were caned at home too, but always knew the number. Here you never knew.
Another whistle and impact ...."Two!" I cried out again. The Head was an expert of course - lots of practice, and by my 10th, he had covered my bottom in a selection of parallel lines. "Very well Anderson - I hope you have learned your lesson! You may leave! Oh and give this to your father when you get home."
I stood up, tears running down my face, though I hadn't cried out too much. "Yes Sir, thank you sir!" I stammered as I grabbed the envelope, and with that fled from his study. I had to endure the (rather fast pace) walk all the way back to he changing rooms, with other boys looking knowingly at what had happened. Worse was when I had got to the changing room, to put my own clothes back on. As soon as I got inside, the noise drooped. All the boys in there looked at me walking through - tear stained, and in the tell tale red shorts that said I had just been caned.
Got to the peg where my clothes were, and gingerly pulled down the shorts. A collective gasp came from all the little kids still in the room. I grabbed my pants, and pulled them slowly over my sore bottom, and then quickly got dressed.
The walk home was awful. Not only was I sore, I knew what was waiting for me. I was also going to have to hand over the envelope - to explain why I was late, and also because the Head often phoned the parents just to check. So, if you didn't hand over the envelope and there had been a check, that meant you were really for it, both from your parents and back at school the next day.
When I arrived, my Mum, dad and little brother were all seated around the Kitchen table. They had clearly been waiting for me. I handed my dad the envelope.