Uncle Dave comes back from a long business trip and calls Jerry and his Cousin Peter in to the room he uses as a study.
"OK you two what the hell have you been up to while I have been away - I've got a summons here to take you two boys to the courthouse tomorrow morning to answer some charges. Now you guys better start talking quick if you want me to help you out - but believe me I don't think the judge is going to be lenient unless I persuade him that I will deal with the both of you. Now what the hell has been going on????"
Jerry is really scared, he looks at Peter, to signal him to speak first since he is the oldest of the two. What did we get caught doing? Could it be the magazines we used from the store, we took them home to look at the pictures and than several days later we returned them to the store. Did someone see us smoking and reported this to someone? Just what is the problem?
Peter stares at his feet saying nothing – he looks almost grey as he avoids Jerry's gaze. Uncle Dave is tapping his feet waiting for an answer. He opens the long brown envelope on the desk and slips out some Official looking papers. "Seems to me that you two boys have been in to a bit of shop – lifting. Magazines, sweets, cigarettes – and magazines strictly for over 21 year olds apparently – now what the hell were you doing looking at magazines that you aren't entitled too – and how dare you steal them anyway??? ..... and cigarettes – you know _d_a_m_n_ed well that I don't allow you to smoke and neither does the law. Well we're going to see what the Judge says first – and if the Judge agrees to me giving the guarantees and paying back for what you took then I'll deal with you – and you bet it won't be any sort of short fun ride – in fact I doubt you'll want to ride anywhere for the next few weeks – which is a pretty good idea since you're both grounded from now until I decide otherwise, neither of you is getting any pocket money and I'll decide what to do about your backsides after we've been to the Courthouse tomorrow. Both of you are going back in to short pants as of now so get yourselves up to the bedroom – get changed in to your short pants and then get out the back and start work on clearing the yard – and you better do that good too and don't stop 'til I call you in"
Pete and Jerry go to their bedroom to change. "Pete, is this something, just like little kids we are back into short pants, and now we have all that work to do in the back yard. Uncle Dave seems like he is real mad, all we were doing is what kids our age do, and it looks like we are in real trouble. I hope that now we are back into short pants and are like little boys, that our punishment will be like what little boys get and not big kids like us. I hope that we don't have to wear these short pants when we go to church on Sunday, and yes I hope we don't have to wear them to court in the morning, it will be very embarrassing!"
"Well I guess we got caught cousin. – and the pants are just one bit of show. Hey Jerry you bet we're in real trouble this time – Dad won't like taking us to the Courthouse tomorrow – and we'll be in these pants for weeks wherever we go – and you bet dad is going with us everywhere, if we get to go anywhere. and I gotta feeling we ain't gonna be doing much sitting"
Uncle Dave appears at the bedroom door – slaps the razor strop against the wall. "Right you two just you be quiet now – get those pants on and get downstairs and start that chore – and NO talking or you'll get to feel this strop before tomorrow night" Uncle Dave takes down a picture from the wall and hangs the razor strop on the picture hook in its place right opposite the foot of the beds in the boy's bedroom. "Now you boys can just look at that tonight and think about what is going to happen – if the judge lets me bring you back home tomorrow"
Pete and Jerry hurry up and get ready to go out to work in the back yard. In a whisper Jerry says to Pete, "When we get out side, tell me what to expect tomorrow night, I have never been whipped with a razor strop before, prepare me. That strop looks like a wicked instrument!"
"OK you two get outside and get that yard cleared up. Those bikes should be in the shed - so should the basketball net and stand and those balls laying around are dangerous... and you can tidy the woodpile, sweep the yard and clean the car then we'll find something else to keep your hands occupied and stop you from thieving .... and when you come back in I want to see your shirts, ties and jackets ready for the morning and your best SHORT pants .... and make sure your shoes are polished ....."
Uncle watches out of the window as the two boys reluctantly start clearing the yard. Pete turns to Jerry "Hell cuzz we're in real trouble this time. Dad is madder than I ever saw him - I never got that many chores in one mouthful ... and as for that _f_u_c_k_ing strop...." Pete involuntarily starts to cry a little in anticipation "...I don't want that Jerry - last time I got 20 swats from that and it pained for two weeks - it hurt every time I sat down and my shorts rubbed against and hurt and dad spanked me every other night for a week and I said I wouldn't steal nothing ever again and now we got caught - I didn't think... what we gonna do Jerry? hey what happens if the Judge sends us away ... ?" Pete is crying hard tears now - frightened tears - a scared 13 year old ....
Jerry goes to Pete and puts his arm around him. "Don't cry Pete, from what you said the razor strop is worse than Uncle Dave's big belt. I'm not looking forward for tomorrow, it is going to be a terrible day. We are in this together, and we will stick together and help each other through what ever may come, Uncle Dave may be hard on us, but I believe he will be fair and Uncle Dave will let the Judge know that he will deal with us. And even though I am dreading the razor strop it will be better than being sent away, just think what could happen at one those places." Jerry joins in with Pete and begins to cry also.
Uncle Dave looks out at the two boys. He is saddened that they have let him down - he hopes the Judge is Mary Giffen - a friend of the family who knows how he deals with his boys. She has been telling Uncle Dave that it is time he formally adopted Jerry and started straightening him out real good. Well if it is Judge Giffen in the morning perhaps all the paperwork could be sorted out, Uncle Dave could get the boys back home and deal with them - and he really means to make them rue the day they borrowed mags and stole cigs - and may be - just maybe Judge Giffen will approve Uncle Dave repaying the shopkeeper and letting the boys off in to his custody. And Judge Giffen already has sight of the papers Uncle Dave put in to let him adopt Jerry so perhaps by tomorrow night Jerry will be a son not just a nephew. Well if he's going to be my son he's going to get treated hard and he'll grow in to someone I can be proud of. Meanwhile Uncle Dave is in the boys bedroom trashing it in search of the things the boys took....
Pete and Jerry have completed their outdoor chores and are going in to get their clothes ready for the morning. They see Uncle Dave in their room. Jerry says, "Uncle Dave, what are you doing? We took the magazines back we didn't keep them and the smokes are all smoked.
There is nothing here that we didn't tell you about. Uncle Dave, we would never lie to you, we did wrong and we admitted it and we know tomorrow we will face our punishment, but there is nothing more. You know Pete and I are honest with you and we didn't hide anything, if we did we would have given it to you when you were talking to us in your study."
"Then I have to assume that these four disgusting magazines and these three packs of Winston came from somewhere else?? - or have you been up to these things before or since and thought you got away with it huh?" Uncle Dave throws the mags and cig packs on one of the beds. He is studying faces for clues - "So you steal and expect to get away with it and then you lie and maybe you did a bit of stealing before huh?? - C'mon Peter, Jerry I am waiting for answers - you gotta get to court and make a clean breast - don't leave anything to crawl out the woodwork - you boys tell me and tell me now how often you done this before?? because if you don't tell me and I find out there won't be any skin left on your asses"
"Please, believe us, Uncle Dave, we don't know where these things came from. We did wrong to borrow the magazines but we returned them to the store, we sure would not ever keep anything like that in our room. The cigarettes we smoked them outside and got rid of the empty packs, it would be stupid for us to even think about hiding them in our room. We know we are in trouble big time, but please believe us that the things you found we know nothing about, and we sure would not lie to you and make things worst for us. Isn't that right Pete?"
Pete is still looking down at his shoes. Uncle Dave has Pete by the ear now and is manoeuvring him around the room to stand him against the wall underneath the razor strop. Now he takes Jerry by the ear and puts him in the same place next to Pete. Uncle Dave sits down on the end of Jerry's bed. "Look at me you two – c'mon look me straight in the eye and tell me you don't know anything about these mags – Peter"
Pete knows he is in real trouble when he gets called by his full name "Well, Peter?"
"yea" says Pete "we borrowed those mags a few weeks back and didn't get caught out" Uncle Dave's face is getting redder
"Jerry did you know about these – look me in the eye boy and no more lies from either of you; time for lying is up now it's time for an awful lot of truth – all truth understand – NOW Jerry did you know?"
"Well, that was long ago and I guess I forgot about that time."
Uncle Dave is standing now and has Jerry by the ear again and leads him across the room. "perhaps I need to help your memory along a bit young man – Peter you can just stand right where you are and I'll deal with you in a minute"
Uncle Dave puts his left foot up on a low stool so his thigh provides a sloping platform as he pulls Jerry across the thigh and under his left arm. His left hand pulls Jerry's right pants leg up and then his hand starts slapping the bare thigh. SLAP, SLAP, SLAP, SLAP, SLAP, SLAP. Now Uncle Dave is gathering the left pants leg up .......... "O U C H, Uncle Dave that hurts, please no more. I just forgot. It was a while back and I can't remember that far back all the time, please no more smacks, please Uncle Dave." Jerry is crying from the slaps and his hurt feelings that he didn't come clean with Uncle Dave.
Uncle Dave pulls Jerry harder up on to his thigh as he pulls the left short pants leg up and exposes high up to the thigh top nearly to the buttock. SLAP, SLAP, SLAP, SLAP, SLAP, SLAP, "Now then Jerry you got off pretty light there - that was for lying to me and partly for stealing before. Now get over there by the window. Peter you get your ass out to the garage NOW!!"
Jerry looks out of the window and sees the garage light come on. He can see through the garage window in to the garage and he can see that Uncle Dave has dragged his big workbench in to the middle of the floor. Uncle Dave grabs the razor strop from its hook and heads out after Pete....
Jerry is still crying from his smacking. "Uncle Dave, please, please don't whip Pete with the razor strop tonight. Please Uncle Dave, he doesn't deserve more than what I got tonight, please Uncle Dave. Maybe tomorrow after going to the court house we both may deserve to get the razor strop but please don't whip Pete tonight, please Uncle Dave." Jerry continues to cry and hopes that his uncle will go easier on Pete.
Uncle Dave thinks Pete had more to do with the earlier theft than Jerry – in fact thinking about it he thinks may be Jerry didn't remember because Jerry wasn't actually directly involved in the activity. He is just going to give Pete a fore taste of the stropping he expects to give to both boys tomorrow. Jerry looking through the garage window can see Uncle Dave talking to Pete who has his head bowed low and is reluctantly taking his shorts, shirt and briefs off. Jerry can see Pete's white ass now as Pete bends over the workbench his ass to the window. Jerry can't see what Uncle Dave is doing yet as he is in front of the workbench and then Uncle Dave is behind Peter and Jerry sees the strop being tapped a few times against Pete's ass. Suddenly Uncle's arm comes right back and SPLAAATT Jerry sees the impact of the stroke against the butt cheeks – he can hear nothing but he notices that the strop buries itself a long way into the flesh of Pete's butt cheeks – Pete's legs kick and bounce as the strop is pulled back again. Jerry can see the darkening red stripe........
Jerry is watching very intently what is happening to Pete and Jerry is crying very hard, because he hates to see this happening to his cousin who he has become very close to. Thinking to himself that this is not fair to Pete, Jerry can hardly wait for it to be over with so that he can give Pete a big hug and tell him how sorry he is for him and that he got much more than he deserved tonight. Jerry hopes that Uncle Dave will stop with one swat tonight and hug Pete and admit that he feels he was too hard on him tonight. Tomorrow Pete and Jerry will need each others support after they both get their punishment for their behavior while Uncle Dave was out of town.
Twice more Uncle Dave's arm comes back and the intensity of the redness in Pete's ass increases. Leaving Pete in position on the bench Uncle Dave comes out of the garage and back up the stairs and replaces the strop on the picture hook. "Get your PJ's on and get ready for bed Jerry. Pete will be a while yet and you guys can clear up this room and put everything away before supper. Oh yes and you two are up early in the morning, showered and dressed ready for court and I want to see you SMART". Uncle Dave leaves the room and goes back to the garage......15 minutes later Pete comes up carrying his clothes with tear streaks down his face. He lays face down on his bed and sobs in to the pillow – his scarlet ass visibly throbbing as his body wracks with his sobs.....
Jerry goes over to Pete as soon as he is laying on the bed, he wraps his arms around Pete's chest, careful not to disturb is sore butt. "Pete, I'm so sorry that you got a whipping, I really hurting along with you, because I don't think you deserved the whipping tonight. I'm so glad to have you for a cousin but I wish I could call you my brother to would be just great. I feel after watching you from the window that I love you like a brother and look up to you as though you were my older brother, Pete do you want me to put some lotion on your butt to help cool it down some?" Jerry is crying not from any pain, but he is crying for his cousin Pete.
Pete points to the drawer at the side of his bed where the witch hazel cream is. "I'm sorry Jerry – dad says I deserved that extra for stealing the things in the first place and not saying anything when he asked – I know that was my fault not yours and I'm sorry you got your legs smacked for lying about something you didn't get involved with." Jerry has a chance now to see the effect of just three stripes from that razor strop which is hanging on the wall. Pete sobs softly in to his pillow, his tears abating as Jerry rubs the Witch hazel in to his sore butt. "Jerry – we gotta tidy this place up dad said and we gotta do that before supper and go down in our PJ's ready for bed"
Uncle Dave watches the boys closely as they eat their supper - Jason and Simon are already in bed - Dawn is busy in the kitchen . "Ok you two I hope you realise just how much trouble you are in." Pete is standing to eat his supper. "I've seen Mr Thomas at the store and paid him for the mags you took this time - yes I know you took them back but that is not the point you took them away from the store without paying. I paid for the cigs too AND the mags Peter took which Mr T didn't know about so you guys are down to me for $237 which my my reckoning leaves you without pocket money for the next 15 weeks. So there's going to be a lot of chores to pay for this time and after court tomorrow - well you'll see. Now get upstairs to bed"
Pete and Jerry go up to their bedroom, first they make sure their clothes are ready for the morning and that their shoes have a real nice shine. One thing good about these boys is that both are neat and keep things in an orderly way. "Pete, I'm so nervous about tomorrow it may be one of the most terrible days of our lives. Maybe we should go to higher authority for some help and say nice long prayers to night, we'll need all the help we can muster up. I hope that your butt is feeling better, Pete, and that you will be able to get a good night rest and if we are lucky some sleep, it will be hard though, thinking about all that is going to happen and what may happen tomorrow. Good night Pete." Surprisingly both boys fall off to sleep pretty quickly.
The boys sleep is disturbed by a shout from downstairs. The smell of breakfast cooking drifts up the stairs and the sunlight is streaming through the windows. This looks like the kind of day boys who are on holiday from school should be out playing in the farm fields not wearing Sunday best clothes with short pants for court hearing. "C'mon you two get a shuffle on and have a shower quickly. We must not be late this morning."
The boys do not yet know that after they went to bed last night Uncle Dave, Mr Thomas and Judge Mary Giffen had had a meeting and a long long discussion which went on it to the early hours. In fact Uncle Dave has only had a couple of hours sleep.
Uncle Dave comes in to the bathroom and checks each of the boys to make sure they have washed everywhere and that teeth are cleaned and sparkling. Pete's butt shows the after effects of the three swats he got last night but to Jerry's surprise there is not as much bruising as he thought there would be. "Right you two get back to the bedroom, get dressed and get downstairs for breakfast in ten minutes"........
"Pete, I'm so nervous, I don't know if I can even eat a good breakfast, it smells so good, but I have real big butterflies in my stomach. How are you feeling about what is happening? I wish that it was tomorrow morning and everything would be all over with. I hope that this is the last time that we shop lift but with no pocket money for 15 weeks that will hard, lets try to help each other."
Pete; "hey Jerry stop worrying will ya – Dad ain't all bad – yes he's gonna make us real sore for letting him down but I bet you he's going to support us through today at Court and make sure he brings us both back home with him. We done real bad Jerry – real bad and I'm sorry and I'm sorry you got mixed up too but we won't ever do anything like this again. I guess we'll just have to do all the extra chores and stuff and see if we can't earn a bit of pocket money back and get that fifteen weeks down – hell we'll be back to school in three weeks time and I don't want to be back with no pocket money so we're gonna have to work our butts off – now let's go get that breakfast."
Downstairs Uncle Dave is in his good suit – he's already had breakfast and as the boys come in to the room he stops them by the door. "Well you two boys look real good and real smart this morning so perhaps you're gonna start acting real smart for a change huh? Well you know I'm pretty mad at you guys for what you did – and you won't forget that later – and I got very angry when I found you lied to me about the other mags and stuff but I guess now I've heard everything and there isn't anything else you want to tell me. Well today you guys are in a mess in the court but remember this much WE are all family. I'm going there to support you boys and to do the best I can for you. I am not going to put you down in that court room – you'll get my praise for the things you got right in the past – but when you get spoken too – and only when you get spoken too, you answer clearly and you answer with the truth. You got that. – Get your breakfast now"
Uncle pulls Pete towards him and gives his eldest son a re-assuring hug and a couple of light taps on his bottom – then he holds his arms open for Jerry and gives him a hug too. Uncle Dave whispers in his nephew's ear "Jerry you gotta listen carefully to what's happening in there today – you tell the truth boy, you say what you feel is right and everything will be fine. OK so you can expect when we get back here tonight that you and Pete are going to get sore but that's going to be because I love you guys" Uncle pulls Jerry tighter in to his cuddle and then with a couple of pats on the bottom pushes him towards the breakfast table. Everything is there – Dawn has cooked eggs and bacon, sausages and black pudding, hash browns and fried bread and beans and tomatoes – a real hearty breakfast.
"This is a great breakfast you fixed for us Dawn, thanks." Pete and Jerry sit down and eat our breakfast, Pete eats like he usually does, but Jerry can not eat like normal because he is still very nervous and scared.
"OK you two in the car – let's go" It is 8.45 am and the court hearing is at 9.30. Both boys get in to the back seat. To their surprise Uncle Dave stops at the store and Mr Thomas gets in the car alongside him.
He turns around and says "Jerry you got a good Uncle here – you better do right by him..... and I hope you learn a good lesson today."
Nothing else is said 'til the car arrives at the Court house. Uncle Dave parks the car and leads everyone in to the foyer and scans the notices for the hearing. "Right we are in Court 5".
Mr Thomas turns and smiles at you "Guess it's your lucky day Jerry" ........
"My lucky day????!!!!!" (Jerry is thinking to himself: Pete and I are in trouble big time, and Mr. Thomas says this is my lucky day, maybe he would like to take our places tonight when we get home.)
Uncle Dave ushers the two boys down the long corridor past huge Oak doors. The high ceiling and the small windows of the court house are intimidating. Pete gives Jerry's hand a squeeze as they arrive at the door of Court 5 and go through to see rows of benches on a tiered slope, a huge table atop a raised platform at the front and the "dock". Uncle Dave escorts them to the front row of seats and sits between the two. Mr Thomas sits down on the other side of the aisle. The Usher calls all rise and everyone in the courtroom stands up as, to the boys' relief, Judge Giffen in her robes and wig enters the room and takes her place at the bench. Everyone resumes their seat.
"First case up State against Jerry & Peter – larceny any submissions?"
Mr Thomas is standing "Your honour if I may....?"
Judge Giffen cuts him short ...."Jerry – do you have anything to say to Mr Thomas before we start....?"
"Your Honour, Yes." Jerry standing and looking at Mr. Thomas. "Mr. Thomas, I am very sorry for I did along with Pete, it was wrong to take your magazines although we did return them in pretty good condition, and take cigarettes we just wanted to act grown up while Uncle Dave was out of town. It was very wrong, and I am very sorry for what I did." Looking back to the judge, "Your Honour, Thank you." Jerry sits back down next to Uncle Dave, with tears running down his face, he is indeed very sorry.
"Peter, what have you to say to Mr Thomas?" Pete turns to Mr Thomas and opens his mouth but nothing comes out just a few sobs. Judge Giffen intervenes again – "I think Peter your trying to say that you're sorry too – and you won't ever think of doing anything like that again because you don't want to end up in a nasty little 10 x 8 cell"
Pete nods vigorously and blubs "I'm sorry, I'm sorry I led Jerry on to, I'm sorry"....
Judge Giffen turns to Mr Thomas "I think that is what you wanted to hear Mr Thomas but you had something else to say "
"Yes ma'am" Mr Thomas starts " I mean your honour – I've known Pete's dad for a long time and I know he'll deal with his boys the way they need and he already settled with me and I know these boys don't be giving me no more trouble ma' am your honour – and I don't want see these boys in no more trouble with the law ma....your honour"
"Are you saying that you don't want these charges to go ahead Mr Thomas??" –
"yes m – your honour I don't want these charges going ahead"
Pete suddenly runs across the court and hugs Mr Thomas and blubs "I'm sorry I'm real sorry I'm real sorry" Mr Thomas wraps the boy in his arms feeling mighty sorry for the boy too and wishing he'd perhaps just had a quiet word with Uncle Dave rather than with sheriff Dan.
Judge Giffen looks at Jerry "Well Jerry I think perhaps you might have something to say to Mr Thomas too – not that I approve of defendants running about my court room and hugging their accuser – but may be we could make an exception here......"
Jerry is very excited as Pete was and makes a quick path towards Mr. Thomas, he also hugs Mr. Thomas. "Mr. Thomas, I am very sorry and yes I know better but we just did it. I will not give you any more trouble, and thank you for not pressing charges, I'm very sorry." Jerry quickly and quieting returns to his seat beside Uncle Dave. He whispers to Uncle Dave, "May be go home now?"
Judge Giffen bangs her gavel on the desk. "Let's have some order now" she shouts. Pete rushes back to sit with you. "Well now" the judge says "I gather that you boys are going to be dealt with by your Dad or Uncle in a more traditional way than the Court would be able to and I so order that the case is dismissed and remitted to the responsible adult. Now we have three hours of spare court time. I seem to think Jerry that I have another case involving you due to come before me in five weeks time but I think we should proceed now and get that over with too ..... Jerry I want you and Uncle Dave to come forward to the bar of the court...."
Jerry talks real softly to Uncle Dave. "Uncle Dave, Pete and I are in this together, why doesn't she want him to come to the bar? We both were involved, so shouldn't both of us along with you go to the bar?" Jerry tries to get Pete to come along as Uncle Dave gets him moving towards the bar of the Court.
Mr Thomas comes over and sits next to Pete as Uncle Dave goes with his nephew to the bar. He is ushering the boy gently and whispering "You just do what I said Jerry – you listen carefully and you answer the Judge honestly and fairly with what you think. Don't look at me for the answers this time – these answers need to be yours and yours alone. I am right there with you, it doesn't matter what you say – whatever you say will be right – it's your answers that count now not mine"
Uncle and nephew reach the bar of the court. From here Jerry has to strain his neck to look up at the judge who is looking down at him. She has her eyes fixed on Jerry's – he wants to look away but can't break from her hypnotic stare. She is shuffling an absolutely huge bundle of papers. Suddenly Jerry realises she is speaking to him. "Jerry I have to ask you lots of questions and I need you to answer them all the way you feel. All of the questions are here and I want you to answer them all – first thing how long have you been living with Uncle Dave?"
"About, a few months."
"Are you happy living with Uncle Dave?"
"Yes"
"Do Uncle Dave & Dawn look after you well?"
"Yes"
"Do you like Peter, Jason and Simon?"
"Yes, your Honor, very much, we have lots of fun together."
"Does Uncle Dave treat you any differently to Peter or Simon or Jason – do you ever think he is unfair?"
"No, your Honor, he treats me just the same!"
The list goes on – it seems endless. Jerry begins to wonder just what Judge Giffen is up to – why is she asking all these questions? What has he done that she keeps on asking for? "Is this like school, your Honor, will I get a grade for this?"
Uncle Dave is squeezing the boy's shoulder "C'mon Jerry – look at the Judge - not at me – answer the questions and try to speak up a bit – no need to cry; no-one wants to hurt you this time ....you haven't done anything else wrong again"
Judge Giffen looks down and smiles at the frightened boy much to his surprise "C'mon Jerry speak up a bit – why don't you come up here and sit next to me?"
The Usher opens the gate in the bar and Uncle Dave gives Jerry an encouraging push – "Go on Jerry – sit next to the judge – she won't bite you"
"Am I in trouble for having to come up here? This is the first time that I was ever in court, and I'm scared, I thought when Mr. Thomas said he would drop the charges that we could go home. Shouldn't Pete be here with me, we are in this together you know? Look at everyone looking up here at me, this is scary you Honor."
"No Jerry your not in trouble now" Judge Giffen takes off her wig and shakes her hair down. She doesn't look half as frightening now. "I am trying to help you but I have to ask all the questions first – and what you're going to get is better than an exam grade. I am happy that you are happy living with Uncle Dave and Pete and the others and I needed to be sure. I know you miss your Dad and I can't give him back to you Jerry but Uncle Dave asked to adopt you as his son now. You've answered the questions; I can make the order – Jerry go hug your new Dad and big brother"
The Usher has opened the gate again and Pete is running towards Jerry for all he is worth..........
Pete gets to Jerry first and they bear hug each other. "Oh, now you are my brother this is great, I'm so happy that we are brothers, you were a great cousin but I looked up to you as a brother now it is true you are my brother, I love you and will enjoy being your brother, I hope Simon and Jason will feel the same, this is just great, I'm a happy kid today."
Jerry then hugs his new dad. "Dad, I like to say that, thank you for adopting me, I know that your brother would be glad that you did this for him. I'm going to try real hard to be a good son, but you know sometimes I mess up and I hope that you will teach me to grow into a good man. I appreciated all you have already done for me and am really glad you are my Dad and that I'm now your son, I love you Dad." Jerry is happy but still not happy about what is going to happen when they get home that he is crying, some tears of happiness and others of being afraid.
Dad gives both boys a big hug – and he is crying too. Tears of happiness! Everyone in court 5 is smiling Judge Giffen calls dad over to sign the papers off and then announces "Court Dismissed, take your family home"
Dad bundles the boys out of the courtroom and in to the car, Mr Thomas hops in and they drop him off at the store before going home.
Jerry goes in through the kitchen door and Dawn welcomes him home too with a big sisterly hug.
"Well Peter, Jerry I know it has been an exciting morning and somethings happened to make us all very happy but you both know you let me down while I was a way and that is not something I can or will tolerate in my sons. Now both of you get up to your bedroom and face the wall...... and no talking until I start talking to you we have a lot to discuss and some of it will be painful to talk about. Upstairs NOW!"
Pete and Jerry head off to their room, both are already crying not loud, but tears running down their checks. It seems odd that Dad didn't even tell them to get out of their good clothes and in everyday clothes. Just what will all the talking be about? Jerry is remembering Pete's session last night with the razor strop and is even thinking about himself getting it today, he has never had the razor strop and he is shaking thinking on about this. When they get to their room the first thing that they notice is the razor strop hanging there and this is the same area of the wall that they are facing. Amazingly they are so close together and have not even whispered a word to each other, but mentally feeling very sorry for each other. Knowing, some how they both will come through this.
Dad leaves the two boys standing there facing the wall. The clock on the landing ticks off the time so slowly – every tick seeming to be louder than the one before. Fifteen, twenty, thirty minutes go by. The boys are aching as well as fearful, just standing waiting. Forty - five minutes, Fifty five minutes – the footstep on the stair is heavy and slow climbing – Dad is still thinking. It takes another two minutes of approaching footstep before dad enters the room and stands behind his two errant boys. "Get your hands on your heads and turn round".....
Pete and Jerry put their hands on the heads, it is hard to do still wearing their suit coats, and they they turn around. Neither boy is looking too happy, and both are shaking with fear. Tears are running down their faces neither one is crying out loud.
"Uncomfortable isn't it? – standing there like that with your hands on your head? Hurts doesn't it? You've been standing still for an hour thinking about what you did, sorry for it and sorry you got caught. But that's a good thing you got caught; you faced up to it too and now we're going to make sure that you never get caught again because you'll be too _d_a_m_n_ed scared to do anything like it ever again. Put your arms down." Dad gets two coat hangers from the closet goes to Jerry and slips his jacket off his shoulders and down his arms and hangs it on one of the hangers. He takes Jerry's hands and puts them back on to the boy's head. Now he does the same for Pete.
"Neither of you got raised to steal – neither of you" Dad's face is stern – not angry – stern. Dad is in front of Jerry now. He undoes the School tie and takes it and puts it with the jacket. Pete's tie comes off too. The boys sense this is going to be real humiliating as well as painful. Dad is slowly undressing them like little baby boys.
"Right both of you take off your shoes and socks and then get back where you were facing the wall and with your hands behind your neck"...... Dad leaves the room again.
Jerry whispers to Pete, "What do think is going to happen, how long are we going to wait this time, and when do you think we will get the razor strop, see it on the wall looking down at us? I'm really scared and afraid, Pete." Jerry begins to cry a little louder than Pete.
Pete looks at Jerry briefly and whispers "Hey don't worry little bro - you can take it - it'll hurt but you can take it I did and I guess I'll get some more tonight with you and I guess I'm gonna howl and scream like I did last night but we can take it"
Just then they hear dad's footsteps again and he is back in the room. He has his jacket off now and his sleeves are rolled up. He stands behind Jerry and unbuttons his shorts and pulls them down. "Step out Jerry - keep your hands on your head". Now Jerry glances sideways and see Pete's shorts being unbuttoned too and then Pete is stepping out as well.
Dad picks up both pairs of shorts, folds them and puts them on top of the wardrobe. "You won't be needing them for the next six hours or so" The boys look at the clock - it is just 3 in the afternoon. "Turn around Jerry, lift your arms" Dad takes his new son's shirt and vest and pulls them over his head. All he has left is his briefs. "Face the wall, Peter turn around"....
"Dad, what are you doing, treating us like little boys, you are undressing us? Are you going to spank us? Because, you are treating us like little boys are you going to give us little boy spankings?" (Jerry is thinking to himself, why I am so nervous and scared, if Dad is only going to give us little boy spankings, I can take that. Gee this great!)
Pete whispers to Jerry "Dad won't leather us on cold butt Jerry, I reckon we're gonna get warmed with a spanking first and leathered later"
Dad slaps Pete's thigh hard four times. "I said no talking now just be quiet and face the wall" Pete's tears flow as his thighs begin to redden.
"Jerry – come here". Jerry turns to see Dad sitting on the bed....
Jerry walks over to Dad with his hands still on his head. "Yes, Dad?"
Dad takes hold of the boy's left wrist and pulls him towards him. "Jerry you know how disappointed and upset I am that you and your big brother decided that you could just help yourselves to someone else's property without asking. Well you are both going to regret that. I am going to make sure that you NEVER want to steal anything ever again. I am going to make sure that you will be sorry you ever entered Mr Thomas store to steal. I am going to make sure that you never want to see another cigarette as long as you live never mind stealing cigarettes and smoking them. I am going to make sure that you don't decide when you are old enough to read restricted books – in fact when I have finished neither you nor your big brother will want to steal, smoke or break age limits ever again"
Dad reaches out and pulls the boybriefs down, still holding the wrist and pulling the crying boy closer......
"Dad, I promise you I will not do those things again. I told Mr. Thomas that I was sorry and I meant it. You have grounded Pete and me and you have taken our pocket money away for 15 weeks. You don't plan to spank us, along with all the other punishments? I can tell you right now that I will not do it again, ok? So you don't have to spank me, ok?" Jerry is crying as you pull him closer. "Hey Dad, why not let this time be a warning?"
"Well son there are something things that get you a warning in life and some things that need to be dealt with. This thing was serious enough for the Sherrif to take you and Pete to court and, even if it hadn't been, it was serious enough to earn you a _d_a_m_n_ed good hiding. When you grow up you'll learn that getting caught breaking the law earns punishment. Now you're gonna learn that breaking MY law – let alone several state laws earns punishment"
Dad drags Jerry across his knee, spreads his legs apart and centres him with his bottom mid way between as he sits on the bed. Very briefly dad's hand rests on the bare butt and moves away. There is a long pause – perhaps fifteen seconds and then SMACK. A very hard slap sets the centre of the butt cheeks on fire ........
"Ouch, Dad that hurts, I will not break any more laws Dad!" Crying in earnest begins with the first hard slap.
"No you won't Jerry - you are my son now and I will treat you like all my sons and you will learn really good behaviour - and if it has to be the hard way " SMACK another hard slap on top of the first but a bit further across the butt "it will be the hard way"
"Dad, you are hurting me. Please stop. I promise you that I have learned my lesson the hard way and that I will ever shop lift again. I will not look at adult books until I become an adult, besides I am 12 and almost an adult already. And I will never smoke until I become of legal age. OK Dad, don't you think that you already punished me?" Jerry is crying but not really loud as he get used to dad's hand smacks now.
Dad's hand comes off Jerry's butt again and his left arm wraps around the waist as he pulls the boy back tight against his body SMACK - just below the first pair - on to the top of the left thigh, SMACK in to the top of the right thigh "Jerry you and Pete are going to hurt and hurt good. I promised you both a _d_a_m_n_ed good hiding and that is where we are going - a _d_a_m_n_ed good hiding. This spanking is for smoking, there's more to come for those books and later we'll deal with what happens to little thieves ...... " SMACK, SMACK - two more hard hard smacks up towards the waist – Jerry's whole bottom is blazing now but he is going to be there for a while. Pete has turned and is watching and crying knowing he is going to be next ......
"OUCH. OUCH, O U C H, Dad I have learned not to smoke, please stop! Dad, my butt is on fire it is smoking like a cig. I promise I will not smoke, please stop." This set of smacks are getting to Jerry nothing like the first two, they hurt and now he is begining to cry like a baby.
"Yes Jerry, you can cry young man, you cry get all of those ideas about smoking and reading things you're not allowed out of that head of yours" SMACK, SMACK, SMACK, SMACK. Dad fills in the gaps between the previous six smacks – each time overlapping one pair of red marks so that the middle of the young butt is glowing. "Stand up Jerry. go and lay on your bed and look this way towards me". They have been on Peter's bed while Jerry took his spanking. "Come here Peter". Jerry lays down on the bed and turns his head sideways to watch through his tears and to see what is happening to Pete.
"Right Peter drop your briefs" Pete thumbs down his underpants reluctantly as Dad puts his foot up and rests it between the mattress and the bed springs so that his thigh is high and parallel. He lifts Pete across his thigh so the boy's legs are dangling. Pete's legs are slightly apart and Jerry can see, blurrily because he is still crying, everything that Pete has. Dad wastes no time starting on Pete's butt and Jerry watches Pete's legs swing as SMACK "You" SMACK "are" SMACK "the" SMACK "naughtiest" SMACK "Boy" SMACK "in" SMACK "this" SMACK "house" SMACK, SMACK.
As each hard slap rings across the room Pete's legs buck and bounce and swing. From the very first smack Pete's gentle tears which were flowing before he went across dad's knees turned in to a loud crescendo " Wwwwwwwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh huh huh hu Waaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh". As each smack lands so Pete's cries raise up and then die down. "WWWWWWWWWWaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh....." SMACK SMACK "WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAA ha ha huhu huh huh waaaaaaaa" Pete takes twenty hard smacks from dad before he lifts him off his thigh and lays him down on his bed.
"Right you boys can just stay there til tea time and after tea we will talk about the little thieving episode"
Dad leaves the room and Pete's sobs grow a little louder as he lays there with his glowing butt, his head buried in the pillow....."Hey Pete, are you okay? Dad has really let us have it for smoking. After this I don't think that I will smoke again at least until I am old enough, right? Pete, this is some welcome that I received from Dad. He adopted me and the next thing you and I are getting our butts smacked and he said we have more to talk about and with Dad that means more spankings. From now on we have to behave ourselves, Pete, but somehow you and I manage to get ourselves into trouble don't we?" Both boys are crying and Jerry has a lot more questions to ask Pete and to talk about but they are interrupted!
Dad comes in to the room and pulls up a chair between the beds and sits down. "Now Jerry, Peter I am sorry I had to do that - you know I am sorry I had to spank you both - it hurts me to spank you and your brothers. But so help me if I catch either of you smoking EVER again, never mind when you think you might be old enough, I will welt your bottoms so deeply you won't sit down for a month never mind a week. There is nothing arbitrary about smoking limits - have you SEEN what cigarettes can do to you?" Dad opens a medical book and shows them some pictures. "Look at this - this is a picture of a healthy lung - nice and white and with good clean tubes and this - well this is a guy who smoked twenty cigarettes a day - look it's like a lump of coal - he can't breath - he coughs and splutters - I don't want you guys with lungs like that ever. You cried when I spanked you because I hurt you outside - believe me this guy cried for years cos he hurt inside"
Dad comes and sits on Jerry's bed and lifts the boy in to a hug and calls Peter to join them. "I love you guys too much to want to lose you. I know I have to spank you and yes tonight I am going to use that strop and it is going to hurt. But it is going to hurt me too.... We are a family now - I have four sons, not three and a nephew - but believe me Jerry even if you were still a nephew I would have spanked you just the same knowing that's what you deserved - but you are not just a nephew now - you have always been important to me and I promised my brother I would look after you and now you are my son - every bit as much as your older BROTHER Peter and your younger brothers too. One family - one disciplined family with boys who will grow up to respect authority because they have learned, with LOVE, that wrong doing hurts."
"Now get your shirts, pants and shorts on it's time you came downstairs for tea"
When dad leaves to go down for tea, Pete and Jerry get ready to come down also. "Pete, you know dad is cool that he took the time to come and talk to us about the dangers that happen when we smoke. I would have never thought to look in a medical book and see what the lungs look like. I'm glad that he did that for us, and he did it in a nice way, he didn't yell and get mad at us, he told us in a nice way. He is also nice that he is letting us put our under pants, shorts and shirts back on to go down to tea. Kids at school told me when they get a spanking and it is time for tea their dads make them come to tea with their clothes off. I know after tea we are going to get the strop but dad was kind to explain that it will hurt him so we will not be the only two hurting tonight. Wasn't it nice that dad told us that he was sorry that he just gave us a spanking. We don't have too bad do we Pete?"
Pete doesn't say much just nods "Yea well it is going to hurt Jerry – it is going to hurt like you never hurt before – just take it – you'll yell cos I sure do". The boys head downstairs for tea – sandwiches and a glass of milk are on the table for each of the four boys – dad has a pot of tea with his sandwich. Simon and Jason avert their eyes as Pete and Jerry wince when their red hot butts touch the chairs. The two younger boys have been to an adventure playground for the day so they hadn't realised that Jerry and Pete have had a spanking and are faced with the strop – that is not until dad told them when they came home half an hour ago ....and they know now that Jerry is going to be a brother for ever. There is a knock at the back door and Mary Giffen comes in and joins the family at the table. Dad pours her a cup of tea....
This is a very quiet tea, not the usual lively coversation which normally goes on. Jerry is surprised that Simon and Jason who are usually very talkative haven't said any thing. When Judge Giffen comes in Pete and Jerry look at each other in surprisement and think what is the judge doing here. Did she come to witness the punishment? If so will dad go easier on them? Probably not because he will want to make a good impression for the Judge. Is this going to be a public punishment with Judge Giffen and Simon and Jason looking on? If so this will be terrible for Pete and Jerry!
Tea is over and dad signals to Pete and Jerry to accompany him to the bedroom again. Upstairs he begins talking. "Now Peter, Jerry you boys realise the seriousness of what you did when you took things from Mr Thomas' store without permission and without paying." Dad holds up his hand to stop them from speaking as both of them want to say something. "Now you just think carefully – you see out the back there we have our fruit trees and we have our garden and we have our hens and geese – suppose, just suppose someone "borrowed" the hens for a day and then put them back we would have lost a whole day of eggs from our hens. Suppose somebody borrowed some of the _c_o_c_k_erels we were breeding for the table – now someone comes along and wants to buy a chicken for dinner – and I can't supply them so I lose the sale – we lose the profit – what you boys did is no different. Well later I shall call you down to the garage Jerry first and you will come down wearing only your football shorts and sneakers..... and when you are called you will come immediately. Now you will change and stay here in the room until I call you. I do not like what I have to do and I do not expect you to either but what must be done will be done" Strangely dad takes each boy in turn, hugs him very tight and then turns and leaves the room.
"Pete, why must dad take us to the garage? Why can't he whip us here in our bedroom where he spanked us before tea? And why must we go alone? I need you for support Pete, I have never been whipped with a razor strop before and I am so afraid. Pete, I don't want to go out to the garage by myself. I am AFRAID PETE, PLEASE, PLEASE HELP ME." Jerry begins to cry like a baby and is shaking from his head to his toes. "Pete, the razor strop might kill me, and you will be my brother for only one day, I love you Pete. This may be the last time that we will see each other. You are a good big brother. This maybe good-bye for ever Pete."
Pete, who is also crying, takes Jerry in to a big hug. "Listen Jerry dad is a good guy. I know he is going to punish us tonight for what I got you in to and it is going to hurt like nothing else you ever felt. But you took Dad's belt after he smacked you with your sneaker. Dad isn't stupid - he is going to hurt us both a lot but he ain't adopted you to kill you and he ain't spent thirteen years moulding me to kill me either. But sure as hell he is going to belt us real good - and it's in the garage cos he don't want Simon and Jason to hear us yelling and screaming OK - and his bench in there - well he's gonna make sure you don't wriggle about too much...."
Jerry is still hugging Pete as hard as he can and crying his heart out. "Pete, you are a good brother and trying to help me, but I am still afraid. I'm afraid of the strop and afraid of the whipping that I'm going to get. My legs feel like rubber, I don't know if I can even walk out to the garage." Pete and Jerry are sitting on their beds crying for all they're worth and waiting for Dad to call them to the garage.
Dad is in the doorway again – you have been waiting for half an hour although it seems like a week. Dad has his stern face on. "C'mon Jerry let's get this over with young man" Dad takes down the razor strop from the wall and takes the boy by the hand and leads him downstairs, out across the yard and in to the garage. Mr Thomas is in the garage too – but to Jerry's relief Judge Giffen is not. In the middle of the garage there is dad's workbench. On one end there is a wooden platform sloping upwards by about six inches and around eighteen inches long. There is a foam cushion on it. Dad leads Jerry to the bench and taking hold of him firmly pulls down his shorts and then lays him on the platform so that his butt is on the platform, his feet are off the floor and he leans downwards on to the workbench at the front. Jerry feels his shorts being slipped over his sneakers and then the sneakers being undone and taken off – but it is not dad doing that because he is buckling a leather strap across the middle of the boy's waist holding Jerry in place against the foam. Mr Thomas comes and stands in front of Jerry and takes hold of his hands holding firmly........
Jerry continued to cry his heart out as dad took him by the hand to the garage. Jerry's sobs are the only verbal sounds that are being made. Once in side the garage and between this crying he tries to speak. Dad can understand what he is trying to get out but it is hard because he is crying so hard. "Dad, please no, no razor strop dad, Pete has told me this is the worst of the worst punishments, please dad. Mr. Thomas, I told you that I was sorry, why did you come to watch me suffer? It is bad enough acting this way in front of dad but for you to see it makes it worst. Dad, you said we were going to talk, but we haven't done much talking, with the spanking already today could you yell at me for what I did? Do you have to use the razor strop, dad I am afraid, please dad, please ...............
"Jerry you are twelve years old and you should have known that stealing would get you in to real trouble. Well you're in real trouble Jerry. Twelve year old boys get one swat for each year that we've wasted trying to bring them up as decent law abiding citizens. You will never ever forget what happens in here tonight my son. I don't expect you to. Mr Thomas is here because you wronged him and because you'll need help staying in position to take this punishment." Jerry thinks he hears the back garage door clicking open – a cool breeze from the door briefly lights on his bare butt and then the door is closed again. Dad has picked up the strop now and it is laying across the still pink butt, the supple leather curves around from the handle to rest against the left side, follows the contours of the butt cheeks and round on to the right side. Dad adjusts his aim, pulling the strop back so that the end of the leather is just clear of the bench on the right. There is a pause, the strop is no longer on Jerry's butt and the boy hears the swoosh as the strop descends and then SPLAAAAAT. The leather strop bites in to Jerry's buttocks and around both sides – a two inch wide streak of hell fire burns in to the bare ass.........
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!" Jerry is no longer crying, he is screaming. He has never been punished like this. He is hurting. Dad, ppppppppppppplllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssseeeeeeeeee NOOOOOOOOOOOOO MMMMMMMMMMOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEE!!"
Dad waits a few minutes for the legs to stop kicking. Mr Thomas holds the boy's hands tight as Jerry tries to pull back to protect his hot butt. The strap round Jerry's middle keeps him in place against the foam and he feels once again the strop being lined up cool against his butt. The strop is pulled off again and there is a long pause - apart from the sobs which have died down after the scream you can hear the silence in the garage. SWWISSSSSSSHHHHH SPLAAATTT. This is just atop the thighs - two inches of hot stinging leather across the whole of both thighs. Biting in, burning , wrapping around - stinging red hot hell fire pain
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW, OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW, OOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! DDDDDDAAAAADDD, PPPPPPPPLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEE"
Jerry is screaming and kicking his legs, and his butt is so hot and he is in real, real pain. Thinking to himself ten more to go, how am I going to take them? Who came in when the door opened a little while ago? Jerry continues to cry out very loudly while his whole body is shaking with pain.
"You better listen real good Jerry – I'm not liking do this but by God you are going to learn not to steal. You will never ever break the eightth Commandment again – because believe me the pain you're getting now is nothing compared to the pain you'll get in eternal Hell boy." Dad waits again for the kicking to die down. "You better realise Jerry that being my son is going to have some real good times. I love you as much as any of my sons Jerry and I'll treat you just the same and that means you live by my rules and if you break my rules you'll get the same punishments"
Again the strop is being measured against the bare backside – Jerry feels the leather stroke across near his waist on top of his bare ass. THWIPPP SPLAAAT. Leather meets white flesh for the third time – Jerry knows now how the strop feels – he can feel every nerve ending in the two inch band scream at him.....
Again Jerry feels a cool breeze on his ass as the back garage door opens and footsteps running "Dad, dad it's not Jerry's fault Dad, I got him in to this Dad, please stop dad" Peter is running across the garage and comes laying himself over Jerry's back and giving him a big cuddle from the back. "I'm sorry Jerry ....I'm sorry I shouldn't have got you in to this"
Jerry feels Pete's tears falling from his cheeks on to his back as he lays there hugging and crying. Dad drags Pete off, hauls him across the garage and stands him firmly by the wall, his hands on Pete's shoulders. "Peter you should know better than to interfere with Jerry when he is being punished. So you got him in to this mess. He should've known better than to join in ....as for you you can get to the back of the garage and stay there and see what Jerry gets and then get ready for getting twice as much – understand?" Pete is sobbing as dad drags him to the back of the garage and then measures the strop against Jerry's butt yet again. THWIPP SPLAAAAT. Dad has linked the first two swats with a real hard swat and Jerry wishes Pete hadn't intervened because that felt as if it was a harder swat than the others he had had so far.
"Lemmego lemmeego" Pete is screaming at someone at the back of the garage and is struggling to get away and come to you again.
"Peter be quiet or I'll strop your butt to pieces now and again tomorrow"......
The fourth was much worst then the other three swats and Jerry is screaming and crying in pain, his legs are kicking, he is trying to pull his hands away from Mr. Thomas, he wants to rub his very hot sore butt, he is heaving and shaking all over. After a long period of time and he is able to get his voice back and regain some composure he calls to Pete between sobs. "Pete, thanks for what you did, you are great brother and I love you, but I was wrong for what I did. I could have said no and not gone along with you but I didn't, I could have tried to talk you out of it, but I didn't. I'm getting what I earned, once Dad told me when he was Uncle Dave that we earn our punishments. I made the bad decision, now I must learn to take my just punishment. This is a terrible whipping but I must take it as I earned it. Please Pete, don't take all the blame yourself, you are in trouble too and please stay and I will know you are with me during this, let me take what is coming to me the best that I can. This is the hardest dose of punishment medicine that I have ever taken, but it will make me to be a better man and to be big and strong as you are. Thanks brother, I love you. Dad, please don't give Pete double, he is a great brother and only wanted to help me, please don't be mean to him, think how he wanted to help me and be understanding."
Mr Thomas lets go of Jerry's hands and Dad and he fetch the other workbench and push it end on to the one Jerry is on. From somewhere another fat strap appears and dad nails it to the workbench and throws a foam cushion over the top.
"PETER COME HERE NOW" Dad's voice is really sharp – Jerry almost feels there is anger in his voice as Pete runs across the garage and tries to hug him again
"I'm sorry Jerry, I'm sorry Jerry" Once again dad has Pete in his grip and Pete's shorts are ripped off rather than taken down and Pete is thrown face down on the other bench his face just a couple of feet from Jerry's. Tears are pouring down his face dripping on to the old work blackened wood. Dad takes Jerry's hands and Pete's and makes them hold each others wrists.
"Now if you let go I will tie your wrists together". As Dad buckles the strap around Pete's waist footsteps move from the back of the garage and Jerry sees for the first time who was there as Judge Giffen walks past and stands against the garage door where she can see Pete's butt. Mr Thomas takes Pete's sneakers off and throws them to one side with Jerry's and then comes to stand alongside the middle of the two benches. Dad walks behind Pete and then stands to one side and measures the strop across the centre of Pete's butt.
Thwipp CRAAAACK. Pete's whole body jerks and his hands holding Jerry's wrists jerk up into the air a few inches as the strop bites in to his butt. There is a silent pause as the pain registers in Pete's brain and then he yells loud "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRR NOOOOOOOOO" but dad is already lining up for the next swat. THWIPP SPLAAAAT "DAAAAAAAAADDDDD NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Jerry is surprised that Pete doesn't take it quietly as he expected but howls and cries as much if not more than Jerry had. Jerry thinks that Dad is laying things on Pete's butt heavier than on his – and he is laying in without the long pauses. THWIPPP SPLLLLAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTT
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" Pete's breath is catching in between the wailing. He is clearly hurting as he bounces his top but he has not let go of Jerry's wrists and his grip tightens as each swat lands. SWWWWWWWOOOSH SPLLLAAAAAAAAAATTTTT!! "NOOOOOOO DAAAD PLEASE DAD I'M SORRY DAD, I'M SORRY MR THOMAS, I'M SORRY JERRY, PLEASE DAAAAAAAAD WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH"
"That's four Peter, four – the same as Jerry has had up to now – and Jerry has eight to go and you have nine – like I said to Jerry one swat for each year we wasted bringing you up to have you steal Peter and then for disobeying me, coming down here and interfering with Jerry's punishment you'll get another three" Dad's hand is resting on Jerry's back now. "Well Jerry you are right, you've learned something already – you earned it you'll get it. Pete earned it he'll get it. Maybe just maybe you'll both never need this again – because next time it'll be 3 or 4 swats for each year get me"
Dad is behind Jerry again and to one side now. From the corner of his eye Jerry can see the strop hanging over dad's shoulder and as he brings his forearm up, he sees it arc above him and then swwwwwoosh SPLAATT! The fifth stripe is linking the first and third swats – but Jerry feels it was not so hard as the first four.........
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, PPLLLEEEAAASSSEEE, DDDDDAAAAADDDDD, IIIIII'LLLLLLL BBBBEEEEEEEE GGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDD." Jerry continues to yell and cry, he holds Pete's hand as tight or tighter than he can. It feels real good holding his brothers hand, they did wrong together and they are getting punished together at the same time they are supporting each other, that makes the whipping a little easier for Jerry to take. Thwippp SPLLAAATTT Jerry's sixth swat comes in fairly fast behind the fifth and dad goes straight round behind Pete THWIPP SPLAAT – Jerry is still jerking as Pete's hands fly up taking his wrists with them as a hell of a swat cuts deep in to his butt. "OOOOOOOWWW WAAAAAAAAAAHHHH" Pete is shedding tears adding to the pool of tears from both boys gathering on the bench.
Jerry continues to cry very hard and lets out shouts as the pain from the strop makes its way through his entire body. His average size 12 year old body is shaking from the pain through out his body. Nothing is said after the sixth swat. He is kicking his legs so hard that bruises are on his legs from hitting the work bench so many times so hard. Jerry and Pete still keep strong grips on each other hands as they do not want to have their hands tied together. It is obvious that Jerry is more relaxed since he and Pete are taking their punishment together, and dad is thinking maybe he should have done it like this in the beginning.
Dad's arm swings back again and THWIPP SPLLLAAATTT. Pete's body bucks and jerks but he doesn't shout any more, His crying just crescendo's WWWWWAAAAAAHH huh huh huh .... Dad is standing between them now - just at the side of the bench.
"OK boys that is six each - Jerry is half way through his punishment for stealing from Mr Thomas. Pete is not quite half through but maybe - just maybe I should even up the punishment. Now I see Jerry's kicked his thighs a bit blue there and I don't want that to happen. As I see it there's two ways we can finish this off." Dad is unbuckling the straps and lifting Jerry down - Mr Thomas does the same for Pete. "Come stand by me" Dad has them side by side in front of him his hands on Jerry's shoulders gently holding him there. Dad passes each a water glass "Take a drink - both of you. Now I think maybe you boys want to get this over with and if that is so then I am going to invite you to wait for ten minutes or so just standing here and getting some water back in to you then you are going to bend over the bench for me side on and we will get the last six each over and done with. Otherwise, I am going to make you wait til tomorrow night and we'll do it all over again - six more for Jerry and nine for Peter. If you want to take six quickly and get it over with - I am not going to tie you - you have to take it, Mr Thomas will help you to stay in position. I want to get this over with boys, we all do I think - you better decide tho" Dad has a couple of tears on his cheeks as he pulls Jerry and Pete in to a hug. "I ain't liking this any more than you are - but you got told twelve Jerry and twelve it will be" Dad hugs Jerry tight to his chest waiting for the boy to answer....
Jerry looks at Pete to see what he might say, he sees that Pete is nodding his head yes. Jerry also sees that Dad is hurting because of the whipping that he is giving him and Pete. "Dad, let me have the break, and I will try to take the rest at one time, I hope Mr. Thomas will really help me stay in position. One other thing Dad, I don't think that it is fair for Pete to get three extra swats because it was only his fault that he came down here, ever since you told us about going to court I asked Pete if he would be with me through everything. So I am at fault some too and I am nuts for asking for this but to be fair I should take one of Pete's extra ones so he only only gets two extra swats, you see the Judge is even nodding her head in agreement that it would be fair. It would be a great idea to get this over with as soon as we can, but it may be over with more sooner it sure will not be forgotten any too soon, this is something I will remember for ever Dad."
The ramp gets taken off the first bench and the foam cushions get put side by side on the bench. "Peter - bend over that bench" Peter bends over and Mr Thomas holds his shoulders firmly down. Dad takes you to stand by the wall. "Now Jerry - don't interfere with Pete's punishment or you'll get more than one extra swat understood." Dad's arm comes back and then SPLAATT!, splaat, splaatt, splaat, splaat. Dad's arm for those four swats is just flicking part way back but all of the swats are landing on top of each other and Pete is belowing and wailing! Dad's arm comes right back now and THWIPPP SPPPPPPLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTT.
Jerry watches as this sixth swat buries itself deep in the crimson butt, briefly turning its path white and then the deepening scarlet hue of a swat that will have left one hell of a bruise. Dad picks the heaving body up off the bench, cuddles Pete close and brings him to stand by the wall. "Right Jerry get your backside over there and bend over the bench"....
One frightened and scared to death boy moves over to the same spot where his big brother has just taken a powerful whipping from the razor strop. While walking over Jerry is already crying very hard, and walks over with head down not daring to look at anyone. "Please Dad, I'll be good, I will never steal again, I'm sorry Mr. Thomas. Dad, please my body is already so sore, please Dad." Finally getting in place at the bench, and with the saddest looking expression on his face he looks back and saids "I'm ready Dad."
Mr Thomas takes a grip on Jerry's shoulders and presses him down firmly against the foam cushion. Dad's hand checks out the butt briefly flitting gently across the contours, a little light touch against the hot skin then dad stands back and takes his aim. "Six Jerry - I hope I never ever have to do this again SIX" Thwipp Splaattt. Dad has laid the first one on fairly lightly but right across the back of the boy butt between the middle of the bottom and the thighs. Thwipp splaat, a second on top. Thwipp Splaat, Thwipp Splaat, thwipp splaat.
"RELAX your ass Jerry" Thwippp SPLLLLAAAAAAAAATTTTT!. The last swat buries deep in to the butt bringing the hottest pain of all from the 12 slaps. Dad lifts the heaving body in to a tight cuddle as he strokes Jerry's hair gently and softly. Tears drip on to his chest as he says "There Jerry - all over now Good boy. Now don't do anything to let me down like that ever again"
Judge Giffen comes across the room. "I made the right decision with you boys this morning - Justice is done we could do with a few more fathers like yours around here. Jerry, Peter your dad has just shown you and me and Mr Thomas that he really cares for you boys - you just remember that now" and she leaves. They hear her car start and go off down the driveway as dad pulls Peter in to join the hug....
Jerry still crying from receiving six swats from the razor strop in just a few minutes. The pain on top of the other pain is more than he can even imagine. "Dad, I am very sorry for doing the things that I did while you were away, you gave me a lesson that I will never forget. Mr. Thomas, I'm sorry and will never steal from you again or from anyone else. Pete, I love you for a brother and we will have lots of fun together messing around but never, never, never doing anything like we did while Dad was away. Dad, it will be great to be your son and be a brother to Simon and Jason and Dawn........"
"Peter go to your room - Jerry you come with me" Dad once again leads the boy by the hand - butt naked - across the yard and in to the house and takes him to his bedroom. He sits down on the bed and drags Jerry across his knee again. "Still boy still" Dad's voice calmly re-assures Jerry as he lays him down and the boy begins to struggle. Suddenly Jerry feels coolness on the blazing butt as dad empties half a pot of nivea cream on to the bare ass and begins gently massaging it in to that red hot butt and thighs. "Now then Jerry, like I said you deserved what you got tonight - that doesn't mean I wanted to do it - I had to do it and just remember this if I have to spank you or slipper you or strop you again in the future because you misbehave then I will do it and it will hurt. But that doesn't mean I don't love you any more - it hurts me to hurt you."
Dad continues massaging the cold cream in to the young butt slowly taking away the pain of the spanking. "Now Jerry - I have to go do the same for Pete so you just lay here in my bed". Dad hauls back the covers of his king size bed with its cool white cotton sheets, drops Jerry in to position face down and pulls the top sheet back over him ........
What a day this has been for Jerry, his first visit to the courthouse, being adopted, getting the razor strop for the first time. What will life bring for him in his new family? Will he and Pete continue to get into trouble? Surely he will not get into trouble with Simon and Jason, they are younger. It feels great being in Dad's big bed. With his head buried in Dad's pillow and silent crys and tears he quickly fall off to sleep, dreaming of all that is to come in his new family........
Jerry suddenly becomes aware that he is laying on top of his dad who has climbed wearily in to bed taken the boy in his arms and hugged him as he fell asleep. Jerry is still in the cuddle when the alarm clock rings at 5.45am. Dad reaches for the Nivea cream again and massages Jerry's butt for a little while. Soon he lets the go and climbs out of bed heading for the bathroom and a shower. As he leaves the room he calls back "get up Jerry and go wake Peter - you boys have some chores to do so you better hurry get ready"....
"Chores! I almost forgot about them. OK Dad." Jerry gets up and realize he is still without clothes and hurries into his and Pete's bedroom. He walks over and gently taps Pete on the shoulders he of course is still laying on his stomach. Pete begins to wake up, Jerry hugs Pete, "Good morning, big brother how do you feel this morning? My butt is still very sore I bet I will not sit down at all today. Dad asked me to wake you up and remind you that we have chores to do. He didn't say but I guess we are still in short pants? Well we better get a move on it, we don't want to disappoint Dad do we Pete?"
Dad shouts up the stairs - "Old clothes and jeans you two and get a move on you have store windows to clean and a yard to sweep before Mr Thomas opens at 7.30 - so get down here get your butts over there and get that job done and then get back here for breakfast - and you better do those jobs real good..."
"Yea, Pete Dad said jeans he didn't say jean shorts, long pants that is great! May I wear a pair of yours so that they will not be to tight on my sore butt? Mr. Thomas has a lot of windows to wash that will be a job! We better get our butts in gear and get the job done and get it done right. Pete, it will be painful to ride our bikes over there, ouch I can feel it already. Ok Pete, I'm right behind you."
Dad watches as the boys ride off standing on the pedals so as not to get their butts on the seat as they pedal down the road.
Pete turns to Jerry "Hey Jerry you bet Dad gave us sore butts - now he's starting the recompense bit. If we do the chores good for the week I reckon dad might have something special for us. He gets worried that when he busts us real good we might not forgive him..."
"Pete I'm going to follow what you do, we must do a good job so we will not let Dad be disappointed in us and let him down again. Thanks for letting me wear your jeans they don't hurt my butt like my tight ones would." Jerry feels good wearing his big brothers jeans, "Pete you are a good brother, I hope that I can be a good one back to you. You let me know if I start to do something that I'm not supposed to do, ok?"
"Hey Jerry we just got to be sensible now" Pete props his bike against the fence just inside the back yard gate of Thomas' Hypermart and News Store. Mr Thomas comes out and gives them both a smile. "You boys come to do my windows and yard - Peter you take the brush round the front and clear up there, Jerry you take the bucket and sponge and do the front window today then you boys can get home to your dad" It takes about an hour to do the front window and the yard. Mr Thomas looks at them both when they finish. "You boys have done alright there" He puts his hand in his pocket and gives each of them a Snickers bar. "Now you get home - I'll call your dad and tell him your on the way so no detours cos he says you're both grounded now. See you tomorrow"...
"We better get going Pete, Mr. Thomas aint so bad he gave us a candy bar, not too bad is it. I guess there is more to this we must be back again tomorrow, what will be next Pete? I bet Dad has a lot for us to do at home today too!"
They see dad standing at the gate watching for them to come home. He is checking his watch carefully. "Well done boys - Mr Thomas is pleased with your effort today - straight in for breakfast now you got a hen house to clear up for the rest of today" They can smell another of those real big farmhouse breakfasts being tossed up in the kitchen and rush upstairs to clean up and get down to the table. "You boys better eat well - a working man needs a good breakfast ..."
"Dawn sure knows how to put up a good breakfast for us doesn't she? You mean we are going to work all day Dad? No time for playing around? Pete and I will be worn out by the time you get home from work!..........
"The devil makes work for idle hands Jerry - and your hands aren't going to be idle. You will be tired when I come home from work and that empty hen house will be clean and fit to live in" Dad gives each boy a hug as he heads out the door and they hear the car go off along the driveway.....
You know what Pete, if this place is going to be fit to live in, maybe we can make it into our place, wouldn't that be neat to have our own place away from all the action, what do you think?" Pete and Jerry work what is left of their little butts off all day getting the hen house spic and span and fit to live in. "Dad, will be happy when he sees what a good job we did, right Pete?"
Pete turns to Jerry and smiles at his brother "You bet it would be good to have our own place but it won't be in here. I know we got 400 new chicks coming on the rail from the brooder. And I think Dad is going to make us look after them!"
Dad comes home and takes them both down to the chicken shed. "Well you boys sure cleaned this up good and proper – now we just need to get heater pens out of the old barn for what's coming in"
"Err dad" Pete says "Can Jerry and I have a den down here somewhere?"
"You want that too Jerry? – well we'll see towards the weekend. Tomorrow you go to Mr Thomas for six am again and then clean up those eight stys at the end".....
"Looks like our day is planned for us again tomorrow, one thing we are doing Pete, we are learning to be good little workers, and even with our sore butts we are working the rest of our butts off! Our own den that will be neat, will we allow Simon and Jason in or will it just be ours?"..
"It's ours Jerry – it's gonna be big boy's play land but we gotta wait see what we get". Dad calls them both in to the house for family dinner. "Well I guess you two boys are pretty tired now so after dinner you go wash down and get to bed – it's another early start tomorrow...." By the end of the week the boy butts are beginning to look a bit less damaged, Mr Thomas store windows are all clean, the yard out front is clean and the stock room is tidy. Saturday morning as they are about to leave the store dad arrives to take a look. The boys see Mr Thomas and dad in a long discussion – they are both happy and smiling. The two of them come out together. Mr Thomas looks at you both "Well Pete, Jerry you guys have worked hard this week and I guess you learned your lesson – and my old store is looking squeakier than it has done in a long while because I don't have all the time in the world to clean the corners out. Now if you two agree Dad says you can work for me Saturday Mornings from 6 am for a few hours and get paid what do you say?" Dad is looking at his sons and nodding his head "YES" so they know the answer they have to give.
Back home those little chicks are growing – and the boys still have them to care for each day and one of the squeaky clean sheds (yes they cleaned everything this week) has become the den except that dad insists that all four of the boys share. Today they get back to the den and inside is a miniature pool table.
Dad comes in with them "Well boys whose gonna take me on at Pool first" Once again things are back to normal at Westbury farm. FIN.