After a while I did start to get hungry so I opened my door and looked down at the plate on the floor. I had to smile when I saw that he had prepared all of my favorites. A big, think cheeseburger, with lettuce, onions, and pickles, French fries, a tall glass of root beer and a big piece of chocolate cake for dessert. I knew right off that my father must have been feeling bad about whipping me and this was his idea of a peace offering. I smiled and took the plate from the floor and went back to my room to eat.
Later that night I went out to the living room where he sat on the couch watching TV, and I sat next to him. Neither of us said a word, but we didn't have too. I knew all was forgiven by the supper he made for me and he knew all was forgiven because I came out and sat next to him to watch TV.
That was our way of doing things in my house. I did something wrong, my father got angry, I got punished, my father felt guilty, I forgave him, he forgave me, and we both forgot about it.
Unfortunately for me, his guilt didn't keep him from whipping me again though. If I needed it, I got it. No exceptions.
A week later my father went to Washington or Maryland - Can't remember which - and I had been left in the care of his friend, Bill Sounders - Sounders I called him.
Well after three days with Sounders I was going out of my mind with boredom. My father wasn't due back till the weekend, so I told Sounders that I was going to stay out till the early morning hours to have a little fun.
As you can imagine, his reaction was the threat to take me over his knee if I did such a thing, but he never would have done that, and we both knew it. I also knew that he had a soft heart for a Marine and would never tell my father in fear that it would cause me an untimely death. So out I went.
As I was out I decided to jump the fence into a restricted area to see what was there and I was seen by two MP's who protected the site and they gave chase.
I ran at the fence and jumped on half way up and tried to climb quickly.
"Hold it!!" One MP shouted as he ran up behind me.
I scrambled to get to the top but I wasn't going fast enough and he grabbed my foot and pulled me back.
"Let go of me!" I shouted as I tried to kick him off my foot.
"Get the hell off the fence Kid." He shouted and gave one good hard yank. I came off and hit the ground with a thud.
Then the beam of a flashlight was in my face. The two of them recognized me immediately because I had given them plenty of trouble in the past. "Luke......" The tall one said shaking his head. "Boy, what the hell do you think your doing?"
"Just exploring a little." I said.
"You know better than this boy." One said.
Then the other started in on me. "Yeah, we could have shot you...... Jesus."
"Yeah right." I said under my breath.
"All right, come on kid.......We're taking you back home to your old man."
"He ain't home." I said with a smile.
They both started to laugh suddenly..
"Is that why you thought you could run around like a nut tonight, because your father isn't home?" The tall one asked.
"He can't do much from where he is." I said still smiling, but my smile faded fast when I saw that they were still laughing at me.
"What is it"
"Your old man got home this afternoon.......The whole base has been looking for you for hours."
"No he is not." I said in disbelief.
"Yes he is you dumb ass........and he's really pissed off."
"Oh _s_h_i_t_ I'm a dead boy." I thought
"Come on, it's time to face the music."
"No way....I'm not going back.......not now." I said and tried to walk away quickly, but I was grabbed and dragged towards the jeep.
"Stop it." I yelled and kicked the tall one in the knee.
"Ouch, you little _s_h_i_t_.....you'll pay for that....Come here!" He yelled, and the next thing I knew I was being tossed over his shoulder and carried to the jeep. The other MP got behind the wheel and started the engine as I was tossed into the back and told to keep still if I knew what was good for me.
About ten minutes later the jeep pulled up in front of my little house. I was pulled out and led up to the front door where Sounders stood with crossed arms. Seeing only him I began to think that the MP's had lied to me about my father being home. If he was home he sure as hell would have been waiting to jump on me the minute I got home, but there was no sign of him.
"Good evening Sir." The driver said. "We found him on the outskirts of the base, in a restricted area. He climbed the fence sir."
I hung my head
Sounders kicked open the screen door and held it open with his foot.
"Boy, your father is going to kick your ass for this." He said after a long stare. "He's out looking for you right now."
I walked past him, into the house, and flopped down on the couch.
"I'm sorry about this." I heard Sounders tell the MP's.
"This is the third time Sir."
"Yes, but knowing his father as I do, I can assure you it will be the last."
"Yeah right." I grumbled.
Then Sounders said something that made my heart jump into my throat. "Oh, there is his father now." Then I heard the sound of the truck pull up.
"Is he back?" I heard my father ask.
Sounders sighed and pointed in towards me. "He's in there."
My father came in the door, quickly walked into the living room and stood in front of me. "Well, Well, well....if it isn't my long lost son."
I rolled my eyes and threw my head back against the couch.
"I hope what ever you were hoping to accomplish by doing this was worth it." He said.
I didn't say anything.
"What did I tell you I would do to you the last time you did something like this?"
"You said that you would whip me." I said not looking at him.
"Well then what are you waiting for......Stand up and get those pants down." He said.
I sat there for about a minute to let what he had just said sink into my brain, then I stood up and started to unbutton my jeans. As I pulled them down he was pulling his belt off and doubling it over.
Sounders saw this and stepped outside with the MP's and closed the door behind him.
Next I knew my father had me by the back of the neck and was pushing me down.
"What!" I yelled.
"Lay down on your stomach!" He shouted.
I looked up at him, hoping to see some glint in his eyes that would tell me that he changed his mind about the whipping, but there was nothing but determination.
I had no choice. I had to do as I was told, or pay the consequences for disobeying him, so I knelt down, placing both knees on the couch cushion and crawled out into a laying position.
"Don't you dare move or the underwear will come off as well." He said.
I nodded in compliance and reached up for the cushion above my head .
When I heard the belt cut threw the air I closed my eyes tight and clenched my teeth. then..........CRACK!!!!! The leather burned a red hot stripe across both cheeks. "AHHHHHAAAAA.......!!!!!" I shouted out in pain.
Then another crack came down just above the first one. "OUCHHHHHHHH.....!!!!" I yelled and threw my hand back.
"Get your hand out of there." He warned.
I moved it back where it was and again held the cushion above my head.
The belt came down faster now. Three in a row. CRACK....CRACK....... CRACK..........!!!!!
"OUCH.....OWLLLLL........OOOOOOOH." God was my butt burning, but I was trying not to cry.
CRACK....CRACK....CRACK....CRACK....CRACK
The pain was unbearable. Someone had to give in here, and I was positive it was not going to be my father.
"OWLLLLLLLL....." I yelled throwing my hand back again. "Please Dad.... no more......I'm sorry."
"Move that hand!" He yelled.
"NO." I cried. "Please Dad."
"I said MOVE IT!!!"
I wanted to obey, but my butt was hurting too bad not to try to protect it. "Please no more."
He grabbed my wrist suddenly and yanked my hand out of the way then brought his belt down a few more times as I bucked and kicked and cried. CRACK, CRACK, CRACK, CRACK, CRACK, CRACK...............
It was probably a full minute before I realized that the whipping was over and my father was now putting his belt back on. I drew my knees up under me, but kept my face buried in the cushion as I cried.
Sounders came in just then. "Is it safe to come in now?" He asked.
I just laid there, desperately trying to rub the sting from my blistered butt.
"Pull your pants up and get to bed." My father ordered.
"Oh Jesus." I thought when I realized my pants were still down. "I'm laying here on the couch with my pants down around my thighs and Sounders is standing right there."
My fathers voice cut threw my thoughts like a knife. "Get your ass off that couch and get yourself to bed right now mister." He yelled in his loud Drill Sergeants voice. "Am I talking to myself?"
I pushed myself up quickly and started to go towards my room.
"ON THE DOUBLE.....MOVE....MOVE....MOVE!!!!!!"
I stated to run after that.
"And your on KP for the rest of the week." He shouted after me.
Now in my room I slammed the door shut and went directly to my bed and flopped down across the end, face first of course, and tried to think of the reason I had for doing such a thing to cause my father to whip me like that. I mean he and I had a similar dance only a week ago, and I swore to myself then that I would behave myself. But here I was in my room, laying across my bed, butt burning like hell.
If I kept this up I wasn't going to be able to sit down all summer.