Paul was 15. I got to know him through working with his mother. His mother told me one day that Paul liked football but that she wouldn't let him go to games on his own because of the fear of violence. Paul's mum and dad were going through marriage problems and Paul had taken his mum's side and his dad, who had always been strict with Paul. Was forever moaning either to or about him. I'd been invited to meet the family, by his mum, and his dad had been, I was told later, a different man whilst I was there. In fact I got on well with him and, because his moods seemed lighter when I was there I got invited to the house a lot.
I'd taken Paul to the football a few times, I'd been on holiday with the family, and was spending so much time with them that I almost felt like part of the family myself. Paul liked going out with me and on at least 3 occasions had told me he wished I was his dad. His real dad approved of our friendship because Paul's attitude towards him seemed better when I was around. I had told the boy to make it easier for everyone by trying to get on with his dad.
As I said earlier Paul was 15 and, like all kids of his age, becoming curious about _s_e_x_ual matters. One day his dad found a gay magazine in Paul's room and was absolutely livid. Paul, fearing some sort of punishment from his dad, panicked and said the magazine must have been one which I had left there. His dad went wild. He assumed that I must have been trying it on with his son and I was certainly unprepared for the reaction I got when I went round to their house that night. I had been invited for dinner, it was Paul's mum's birthday and after the dinner his mum and dad were going away for a few days holiday to try and get their marriage back on the tracks. I was to stay with Paul while they were away but clearly now his dad no longer thought this was a good idea.
When I arrived at the house, still unaware of all this, I noticed an immediate frosty atmosphere. "Ronnie (Paul's dad) wants a chat with you", Joan (his mum) had said as soon as I arrived. Paul was nowhere to be seen, in fact he was in his room having been forbidden to see me, hardly surprising if his dad thought the things he did about me. Ronnie entered the room and threw the magazine onto the table and demanded I told him what I knew about it. I was totally gobsmacked and told him I'd never seen it before. My reaction must have convinced him I was telling the truth and I suggested Paul was brought downstairs so we could try to find the truth.
Paul had heard what was going on downstairs and when he arrived in the parlour he stood nervously to one side. I had arranged with Ronnie that I would ask Paul the questions. "I thought we were mates, Paul, I said. Why did you tell your dad this was my magazine? Do you want him to stop you seeing me because if you do I can easily get up now and go away and you won't have to see me any more". Unknown to anyone else in the room but Paul I had threatened before not to carry on seeing him, in fact I'd done it a few times, when I felt he was getting a bit too lippy with me. Paul's eyes filled with tears (as they always did when I said this) and he came to me and hugged me tight saying he loved me and he was very sorry.
Ronnie apologised to me too, saying he should have realised it wasn't my magazine. He also said "Look, I know you're supposed to stay with Paul while we're away but I guess you won't want to after what he did to you". I told Ronnie I was still prepared to stay with Paul because otherwise the little break Ronnie and Joan had planned would have to be cancelled. We had dinner and then Ronnie and Joan packed some things into their car ready to leave. As he was leaving the house Ronnie turned to me and I was amazed at the words he said. He said, in a whisper so no one else could hear, "I've been too soft with that boy, you're the only one he takes notice of now. You know he deserves a _d_a_m_n_ good hiding for what he did to you. A _d_a_m_n_ good hiding, you know what I mean ?" I just nodded and wished them a good holiday before watching them drive off.
Paul was still sitting quietly in the lounge when I returned to it. "We, ve got to have a talk Paul" I said. "I thought we were mates but obviously I was wrong. Come and stand here in front of me". Paul got up from where he was sitting and stood facing the chair in which I was sat. "I think it will be better for everyone" I began "if when your mum and dad come back I don't come round any more. I'm not going to put up with being accused of reading this FILTH". At that point I threw the magazine at him. "It's bad enough that you read it but to accuse me, well I'm just not having it". True to form the eyes welled up with tears again.
"You are my friend Tim" Paul said "You're my best friend. You're like a dad to me, I'm so sorry I told my old man it was your book, I just panicked. Please, please don't say you won't see me again. It would break my heart if you stopped coming here"
"It's broken my heart you lied about me, Paul" I replied "I'm ashamed of you, and I'm ashamed of myself because I feel I've been used by you. After your folks come back it's goodbye I'm afraid". This started the tears. Although he was 15,in fact his 16th birthday was only 3 months off, Paul was quite a timid lad. In fact the gay mag which he had been caught with had convinced me what I had suspected for a little while. "Stop that snivelling Paul" I shouted.
"I can't help it" he sobbed "I can't bear the thought of ever seeing you again. If you were my real dad you could just punish me and that would be the end of it." He then said something which I thought was very odd "Before my dad left he came to me and said I was due a punishment for lying but he felt you should do it. Can't you just punish me and then we can still be friends. It'll be like you're my dad"
"Very well" I said " but I warn you the punishment will be severe. Are you sure that's what you want. You are nearly 16 Paul are you sure you want to be thrashed by a man nearly three times your age"
Paul's only words of reply were "Yes, please". I was a little taken aback by the word please, it was almost as if Paul was HOPING I would thrash him.
"Very well, if that's what you want. Take off your shirt." Paul removed his pale blue long sleeved shirt and hung it over an armchair. "Now take off your trousers" Paul looked a little bit sheepish although I had seen him semi undressed before having been on holiday with the family. However he was very shy, unnaturally so I felt, about exposing his body."I said take off your trousers!" His moment of resistance gone he undid his trousers, pulled them down and stepped out of them revealing a pare of tight bright red tanga briefs. "Now take off your socks Paul" He took out his white sports socks clearly relieved he was, so he believed, to be allowed to keep his briefs on. "Now take off your briefs". Paul looked mortified but I repeated the instruction more loudly and he turned away from me to obey the command. "Turn back to face me" I instructed and as he obeyed I noticed two things. First he had started to blush and second he was not as developed as I expected a near 16 year old to be. His flaccid organ was only about 2 and a half inches.
"Now go to your room and bring me one of your gym slippers" I ordered. Paul went upstairs and returned with a size 9 or 10 gym shoe. "Bend over and touch your toes" I said. Paul obeyed. I stood to the right of the bending youth and welted his right buttock with ten firm strokes, each eliciting a little yelp of pain. I then changed sides and repeated the dose to the left buttock. I then told him to turn around and remove the belt from my trousers which he did with trembling hands. "Bend over again" I instructed . He bent over in front of me and I held the belt with it's unbuckled end and with a swift arm movement brought the buckled part whipping across the centre of Paul's backside. I administered 10 lashes with the buckle and the told the boy to stand against the wall, hands outstretched. I stood behind him and, this time holding the belt by the buckle, snapped the leather 10 times across the youth's back.
I then ordered the naked youth to go to the garden shed and bring me one of the garden canes which I knew his dad kept there. The weeping child (he now looked and acted like a vulnerable child) stepped naked into the garden and walked to the garden shed, returning with a long thin bamboo cane which he handed to me. "Now bend over again" I said and Paul again leaned forward touching his toes. I administered 10 strokes to the right buttock, as I had done with the slipper and then a further 10 to the left. "Have you learnt your lesson Paul ?" I asked. He nodded, unable to speak through the tears of pain he was shedding. "Very well let's see if you have. Stand, hands on head in the centre of the room." I fetched the magazine which had caused all this strife and opening it randomly held the pictures which had been revealed in front of the snivelling boy. To my disgust and astonishment he slowly became erect. The picture was of a man and a boy copulating. "Clearly Paul you are going to need a very firm hand to guide you through adolescence. Now you will remain naked for the rest of today and tomorrow when you return from school you will strip to your briefs and wear only briefs. I think your black tangas will be suitable . After tomorrow I shall assess your behaviour and decide which other, if any, articles of clothing you will be allowed to wear."
To my absolute astonishment Paul turned to me and said "Thanks, Tim for teaching me my lesson. I feel like you're my proper dad now. I know I'll be all right with you guiding me". I felt a stirring in my loins as I gazed at the vulnerable youth naked in front of me. I tried to put the feeling out of my mind but the thought of the picture in Paul's magazine came back to my mind again and again and again.