The boy heard his father's gruff voice, "Where the hell have you been, boy? Late again and no chores done!"
"Dad, I'm really sorry, I didn't know you'd be home so soon." He tried to think as fast as he could to make up a story, any story, to placate his father, but none came and he was left stammering, "Sorry Dad it won't happen again, I promise, really Dad."
"_d_a_m_n_ right you're sorry, boy, sorry I got home early and you're late with not a _d_a_m_n_ thing done around here. You got an attitude problem, son, and I'm gonna deal with it right now, you hear me? Now move it son right into the garage." With that the big man grabbed his son by the arm and propelled him to the door of the garage, pushed open the door with a crash and half threw the boy into the dim interior. This was no modern two car garage, but rather an old wooden ramshackle affair put up years ago and now only used to store garden and car tools.
The boy recovering his balance turned to look at his Dad. He'd really screwed up this time and one look at his father's stern, angry face was enough to send a quiver of fear through his guts. "Please Dad, give me another chance, please Dad, I know I can do better." But it was no use and he saw his Dad move to unbuckle the heavy leather belt from his jeans.
"Now drop em son and be _d_a_m_n_ quick about it!" and with that in one swift movement he whipped the belt from the belt loops. Terrified the boy dropped his pants and looked pleadingly to the man. "Yep, the briefs too boy, get em down to the ankles" The boy complied and suddenly there he was nude and embarrassed facing his Dad. His eyes began to water up and he was afaid he might start crying right now. He gulped and waited for the next command. "OK son now turn around and face the wall...get your hands up and lean up." The boy leaned up against the wall with his hands high over his shoulder. "Now spread em son nice and wide" With that done the man was ready to administer the whipping that was due his irresponsible son.
He didn't believe in alot of preliminaries, just get the job done good and proper, so raising the doubled belt over his shoulder he bought it down hard across the boys buttocks and was rewarded with a little cry from the lad under punishment. Again, CRACK, the belt landed and the boy's bottom quivered under the blow. CRACK, CRACK, CRAAACK, the belt did its terrible work turning the butt into a red, burning mass of pain. The boy was crying now and moving his body as if any movement could ease the pain, and yet the punishment proceeded. Four more times the belt lashed across the burning buttocks and now the boy was yelling, howling for the punishment to end. The man stopped and looked at the job. His boy's buttocks were an angry red and the marks of the belt were clearly visible. He saw the boy's body shudder as sobs wracked through it. "Yeah, good job, almost done." Now moving up beside the boy he growled, "Now boy, you hear me good, when I tell ya to get them chores done, you get em _d_a_m_n_ well done! Ya understand me boy?"
"Yes, Daddy i understand sir, please Dad I'll be good honest." With his well strapped backside he certainly did mean it, too! But his father was a hard, stern man, and knew that the punishment was not over yet. Stepping back into position he administered three more heavy licks with that wicked belt, knowing that the old saying was true about boy's learning best when their backsides were burning. And this boy had learned this lesson _d_a_m_n_ good!
The boy had taken enough. A lesson well learned the hard, old fashioned way. The man took his time as he replaced his belt through the loops, then reached up to his shirt pocket for a cigarette. He'd leave the boy alone for a while to get himself under control and then have a good man to man talk with him before dinner, but right now it was time for a beer. It was thirsty work!
This was the way it was one autumn day in 1957.