A lightening strike in the jungles of the Malay archipelago. The birth of a baby boy. A young man starting his tertiary education. Three unrelated events on the same day.
The low shrub on the forest floor was in no way remarkable. It had been there for a long time apparently doing very little. The afternoon thunderstorm was also in no way remarkable. A lightening bolt struck a forest giant killing it and blasting off some branches. The resulting gap in the upper canopy lead to a marginal increase in light down on the forest floor. The increased light triggered the shrub into a prodigious effort. It sent forth shoots seeking the light of the upper canopy. Access to the light increased photosynthesis resulting in more growth until there were nearly a dozen stout stems. Eventually, these were found, harvested, dried and sold to a local rattan dealer. A length of the rattan ultimately reached a certain high school of note.
Robert Shane Constable (RSC) was a healthy and lively baby, much loved by his parents. His childhood was in no way remarkable. He had no more than his share of minor scrapes and mishaps and caused neither his parents nor his teachers undue concern. He became in time a cheerful popular teenager with somewhat more passion for his sports than for his studies. His greatest passion was Rugby. By his seventeenth year he was strongly built. He became the half back and captain of the First Fifteen.
John Jones (JJ) began his degree with passion. He enjoyed his studies, his life and his Rugby. He was going to be a PE teacher. Four years later, he was. He gained experience and confidence. The school Rugby teams he coached did well. His career progressed. In time he became a senior master and the coach of the First Fifteen at a certain high school of repute. JJ was a strong man and he kept himself fit. He was also a disciplinarian and was not adverse to caning backsides when the need arose. He kept a cane in his study.
Samantha worked in a clothing factory that made sportswear. It was tedious work and she often fantasised about the young men who would wear the clothes she stitched. However, her mind was blank the day she stitched a batch of Rugby shorts. These shorts became part of the uniform of a notable high school's First Fifteen.
RSC, dressed in his Rugby gear happened to drop his duffel bag as JJ was passing. There was a sound of breaking glass and a pool of beer instantly appeared. The school took a very strong line on alcohol so this meant TROUBLE.
JJ paced back and forth in his study uttering expletives. The idiot Constable! There would be inquiries, conferences with the parents, the school board's disciplinary committee would meet, the scandal could make the local newspaper (a scurrilous muck racking rag) and it would lead inevitably to an expulsion, possibly several if other boys were involved, as seemed likely. The schools reputation would be damaged. The Team's game plans would be devastated. It could not be hushed up - there were too many witnesses and an example had to be made. What would the headmaster and other parents think of his supervision? Perhaps Constable would leave quietly thus avoiding the fuss? No, it wouldn't do. He would have to report the incident to the headmaster at once. He paused to pace some more and to vent more expletives.
RSC knew he was in TROUBLE but naively thought there was a simple albeit painful solution. All his past indiscretions had been fixed by the application of the cane to his bottom. He felt sure the same would apply in the present case if only Mr Jones would agree. He paused at the door to steel himself, frowned in wonderment at the words coming from within, and knocked.
JJ ranted and raved - there are no other words for it. RSC wilted before the onslaught. Eventually, he was able to plead his case. The result was the soundest caning ever administered at the school. The ingredients were a strong and very determined master, a rattan cane of the highest quality and a contrite shapely young man wearing flimsy shorts anxious to atone.
JJ felt quite spent when he had finished, but relieved. He felt confident his unofficial action had repaired the situation. However, he was surprised when shortly after a deputation arrived at his door. All the team members who had contributed money to the beer purchase were demanding a caning. Soft hearted JJ obliged.