The next day Paul had come home from school and finished his only homework, Maths, fairly quickly. He had made up his mind that day to tell me more about his unhappy childhood and when I came home he asked me if we could have a chat. I said we could have a talk after dinner and so, at around 6.30, we sat on the sofa in the lounge and I asked Paul what he wished to tell me. He referred to the previous night when he had spoken about his strict upbringing and said he wanted to tell me about another punishment he had received from his father.
At the time of this punishment Paul had just turned 11 and had been playing in his garden with 3 school friends. His dad was in the house and had become irritated by the noise from outside. Twice he had shouted at the boys to be quiet and, as boys do, they had quietened down for a few minutes and then cranked up the volume again. Paul's dad was just preparing to yell at them again when he distinctly heard Paul use a word which was not allowed at home. Paul had uttered the f word, not angrily but as a spontaneous reaction to stubbing his toe, and as soon as he said it he froze with horror at the realisation of what would now surely happen to him. For a few brief seconds he had held on to the hope that his dad had not heard him. This hope was dashed when his furious dad rushed down the garden to where the boys were playing and ordered them all into the house.
Paul's dad had taken the boys into the master bedroom and had then turned to Paul and said "You know how you are punished for misbehaviour. You will prepare for the beating I am about to give you. Now get on with it". Paul had stood frozen in horror, the preparation his dad was talking about meant taking off every item of clothing, including briefs. He had done this before dozens of times in front of his dad but now his friends were watching and he was embarrassed. He had thrown himself at his dad's feet and, hands clasped, pleaded for the punishment to take place in private. His dad had flatly refused saying that he wanted to make an example of him and to show his friends how misbehaviour was dealt with in his house. Paul's friends didn't know what "preparing for the punishment involved" but guessed from Paul's reaction it was pretty scary stuff. His dad shouted again "Get up on your feet and prepare for your thrashing". Paul rose and stood in front of his dad in the middle of the bedroom with his 3 friends watching his every move.
For a few brief seconds Paul just stood, horrified at what he must now do in front of his friends. It would be all round school on Monday. Paul started to weep. "Please dad, please can you do it when my friends have gone". His dad had coldly answered in the negative and finally in a more threatening voice ordered him once again to prepare. Paul first removed his yellow t shirt and placed it on his dad's bed. Then he removed his socks (his plimsolls having been taken off when he entered the house). His friends glanced at each other nervously having by now anticipated what was coming. Paul, now sobbing freely, then lowered his white gym shorts and stepped out of them. He stood, clad only in red and white striped briefs and paused, however, noticing his dad's glare, he put his fingers into the elastic of the briefs, peeled them down over his knees before placing them with the other clothing on the bed.
His father then strode, without speaking, to a cupboard in the corner of the bedroom. He opened the door, leaned inside and withdrew a long horse whip, approximately 1 metre in length. He glared again at the naked Paul and, flexing the whip, glanced at the other 3 children now watching intently. Without a word he approached Paul and propelled him towards the bed. "Bend over that" he had ordered and Paul had complied, holding his arms outstretched, he lay, bottom slightly raised, over the side of the bed. His father then began the customary lecture before commencing the punishment. He told Paul he would not tolerate bad language, particularly at home. He lectured the boy for about 3 minutes about the importance of good behaviour and then pronounced the sentence. "You are going to receive 15 lashes across your backside. After each lash you will repeat the words I must not use bad language or I will be severely punished. If you get up from your punishment position or if you fail to repeat the words I will increase the punishment to 20 lashes. Do you understand". Paul had nodded, he was sobbing too much to speak. His father, however, wanted to hear him say he understood. "I asked you a question, boy, you will answer me or take the consequences. Now do you understand ?" Paul raised his head slightly and through his tears replied that he understood.
The pre thrashing ritual complete it was time for the administration of the punishment. Telling Paul's 3 friends to stand so they could see, Paul's dad moved behind Paul and tapped his buttocks lightly with the whip. Paul had visibly tensed and clenched his fists around the bed linen over which he lay. His dad then drew back his arm and with a smooth motion followed by a flick of the wrist landed the first stroke. Paul had screamed but had repeated the words his father had ordered. It had taken him a little while because of the tears, now made worse by the stinging pain in his backside. Stoically the child had remained in position for the full 15 strokes. The punishment had taken almost 10 minutes to complete because Paul's recitation had taken longer after each lash had fallen owing to him having to compose himself after each yell of pain. If he got the words wrong his dad made him start again and so there were, on occasions, almost 60 seconds between lashes.
Finally, the last lash administered, Paul was ordered to stand and face his friends. His dad ordered him to tell his friends what he had learnt from today's events and Paul had sobbed his way through a few words about not swearing or getting the consequences. Paul's friends were then told they were to leave which they gladly did. Paul and his dad were now alone in the bedroom and his dad grasped him by an arm and led him out of the bedroom into the bathroom. He ordered Paul to kneel in front of the sink. He then ran some water into the sink into which he squirted some detergent. He selected a flannel and dipped it into the now foamy water and ordered Paul to open his mouth. He then forced the flannel into the boy's mouth and made him suck the liquid from the flannel and gargle with it. After repeating this action about 6 times he asked if Paul would ever swear again and had been answered in the negative.
After he had finished telling me this story I noticed Paul had tears in his eyes and I drew him towards me on the sofa and hugged him close to me. His parents were away on holiday and I felt that Paul was enjoying the brief respite he had been given. I felt sure over the next few days more horror stories of Paul's earlier life would be told.