I stayed hidden till my uncle and father left. Then I got out of there and ran towards home. I had to get the red paint off my hands before my father caught up with me. My plan was to clean myself up and then lie and say that I didn't do anything to Mr. Perkins fence, but I couldn't very well do that if I had the evidence all over my hands. So I ran all the way.
When I reached the yard and saw my father horse I realized that he still beat me there. "_d_a_m_n_." I said. But then I thought. "Maybe I can still get it off before anyone sees me."
I ran to the well and pumped the handle till the water came pouring out, then went to washing my hands. I scrubbed and scrubbed, till the paint was gone, wondering the whole time why the heck I was even fretting about it anyway. I mean what could happen if he did see red paint on my hands. Big deal. What could he do about it. The damage was done. So with that all in mind, I stood up straight and tall and walked toward the house as bold as you please, stomped up the porch steps, threw open the door, and walked in.
I had only taken a few steps when my mother came around the corner from the kitchen.
"Hey Ma." I said.
"Hello dear." She said timidly.
"Hello son." My father said and stepped out behind her.
"What are you doing here?" I said as if I didn't know.
"Well I've come to see you boy." He said happily.
"Me, what the heck for?"
"Can't a Pa come see his son?"
"Sure, but you ain't much of a Pa."
"From the way you've been behaving, I agree with you." He said.
"What do you mean by that?"
"I saw your handy work written across Mr. Perkins fence.... ...you're not a very good speller."
"I don't know what your talking about." I said
"You don't."
"No I don't." I said coldly.
"Seems someone painted a nasty, vulgar message across Mr. Perkins fence today."
"So, what does that have to do with me?"
"Well surprisingly enough, Mr. Perkins says it was you."
"Me!" I shouted and pointed to myself.
"He says he saw you doing it."
"Well he's a _d_a_m_n_ liar."
"Oh he is huh?"
"Yep."
"Let me see your hands."
"What?"
"I said let me see your hands son."
"Why?"
"Because I want to see them. The person who painted the fence maybe would have red paint on their hands."
"I don't have red paint on my hands."
"Well if that's true than you don't have anything to worry about." He said. "But if that's a lie........."
"I said I don't have any red paint on my hands."
"Then show me."
"No, I shouldn't have to show you. I'm your son and my word should be enough."
My mother melted as she always did. "Maybe he's right Warren."
"Ellie, you stay out of this now, this is between him and me........now you show me your hands boy.........NOW!!" He demanded.
I slowly raised my hands in front of me and held them out for him to look. He took a few steps closer and took a hold of my hands. He first inspected the tops, then the palms.
"See." I said and tried to pull away.
"Hold it right there....not so fast." He said and gripped my right hand tight.
"What?"
" What's that?" He asked turning my hand.
On the side of my hand, right below my pinkie was a smear of red. I snapped my head up and looked into his face and noticed the stone cold look.
I tried to yank free so I could run, but he must have expected this and held on tight.
"Now I'm going to start acting like a Pa." He said and jerked me forward suddenly.
"Let go of me.....what are you going to do?"
"I'm going to do what I should have been around to do long ago........I'm going to give you a whippen." He said.
"A WHAT!!!!!" I shouted, sounding almost wild.
"You heard me boy." He said coarsely as he pulled me out of the house.
"NO!!!......Ma please.....don't let him whip me!" I shouted, looking back over my shoulder at my mother who was standing in the door way with her hand over her mouth.
"Warren please." She almost pleaded.
"Don't Ellie. The boy misbehaved and now he needs to be taught a lesson."
"But........"
But nothing. My father was taking me to the barn.
"Let me go!!" I shouted as I fought to get free, but nothing broke his grip on me. Then I let my legs buckle and I dropped to my knees, into the dirt.
"Come on." He said and pulled me back up by the arm he had the grip on. "You got it coming to you and you're going to get it no matter how hard you fight." He said not unkindly.
When we got to the barn, he carried/dragged me over to the bench which sat in front of my horses pen and sat down, pulling me over his lap at the same time, then he stuck his elbow in my back.
"Let me up!!!!" I shouted and looked over my shoulder at him, and that's when I saw that he was snapping the excess twigs off of a long switch he had in his hand. I was shocked to see it. I had no idea he even had a switch and wondered if it had just appeared out of thin air. But in any case I didn't like the looks of it and squirmed and kicked for my freedom, but he just wrapped his arm all the way around my chest and rested his hand under me, pinning me in place.
I knew by the way his upper body shifted that I was about to get it good, and so I closed my eyes tight. I had never been whipped with a switch in all my life and I had no idea what to expect. I mean I knew it was going to hurt, but good heavens.
SWISH....CRACK
The first blow took all the air out of my lungs, and I don't think I got it back till the third or fourth strike. When I did get it back though........mercy. I was screaming like there was no tomorrow, but more out of shock and anger.
"Ohhhh, OWLLLL."
CRACK, CRACK, CRACK, CRACK.
"OUCH...PLEASE, PAAAAAAAAAA." I screamed, but he kept it up, and let me tell you, it hurt like the devil. I was getting my naughty tale switched for the first time, and boy did I ever know it.
He only brought that switch down on me about seven or eight more times, but to me it felt like a hundred and seven or eight. My tale was burning like fire and no amount of tears I could have cried would have made it any better.
When he had finished he left me hanging over his knee till my crying eased up, then he lifted me to my feet, and made me stand in front of him.
"Now you listen here boy.......I am your father and I know I haven't been around to act like it in the past, but I'm her now, and I will not have you running wild in the streets of this town......you got that? You will behave yourself and start acting like a civilized young man, or you and I are going to spend allot of time out here in this barn........Do we understand each other?" He asked looking me directly in the eye.
I couldn't look at him. I was so humiliated and.......well frankly..........I was whipped, and I felt whipped to the core of my soul.
"Now I know you don't like me much and this probably didn't put any points in my favor, but I will not have any boy of mine ending up on some poster hanging up in the jail that says wanted dead or alive. Now you are a good boy at heart but I think it's going to take some time to get to that, which is OK by me 'cause I ain't going no where."
I just stood there sniffing and rubbed my burning tale as he spoke.
"All right, it's over. You can stay out here for a spell, but then I want you to get on in the house and go to bed.....you hear?"
I shook my head yes though I didn't really hear all that he had said.....something about the house and bed, then he walked out.
Once I knew he was good and gone I walked over to one of the stalls and leaned my head down on the middle rail and cried like I never did before.
To be continued.......
I just stood there sniffing and rubbed my burning tale as he spoke.
"All right, it's over. You can stay out here for a spell, but then I want you to get on in the house and go to bed.....you hear?"
I shook my head yes though I didn't really hear all that he had said.....something about the house and bed, then he walked out.
Once I knew he was good and gone I walked over to one of the stalls and leaned my head down on the middle rail and cried like I never did before.