Snipperts From The Common Room 03 A Visitor
Paul Downie was a tall fourteen year old boy who was forever in minor scrapes of one kind or another. He had been given detentions and had also got the cane in class on several occasions, just one or two strokes and after that he would behave for a couple of months and then start playing about again. Now in the fourth form, he was the subject of a lively discussion in the staff common room. Max Snowden, Paul's form teacher is in his second year of teaching and while a good teacher is still relatively inexperianced.
"Downie is giving me some trouble again," said Max Snowden. "I have tried dententions, impositions, even a couple of strokes of the cane, but after a week or so he is back to trouble making again. Disturbing the whole class."
"Well I suggest that you give him a good hiding. Not just a couple of light whacks. Give him six of the best, that is my view," said Tom Newman, head of languages.
"Isn't that being a bit harsh? After all he is only fourteen."
"Look Max, he is in the fourth form and he knows that he can be caned. He could be seeing how far he can push you."
"That may be the case Tom. I will watch him for a week or so and see how he goes."
"Well if you want any assistance just let me know. By the way, if you want a lesson on how to lay a cane on, so they feel it, come here at 3.35pm. I have got a smart mouthed fifth former to cane, and he wont be getting away with a couple of light strokes."
"Isn't it a bit unusal to cane a fifth former Tom?"
"Yes, but it doesn't mean that they can't be caned. I have even given a prefect six of the best a couple of years ago because he got out of line."
"I thought the Head liked to punish the seniors?"
"He does, but sometimes he is not about, and it that case we, I mean the Heads of Departments, can do it."
"I see. Oh the bell has gone I had better get a move on I have 3B this period and if I thought Downie was trouble, if I'm late into the room, it takes me ten minutes to calm the class down."
"Max do come later and after I've dealt with Lewis we will have a serious talk."
"Thanks"..........................
Later that afternoon Max Snowden was delayed at his classroom by several boys in his form, asking for assistance with a homework assignment. He helped them and then hurried to the Staff Common Room. As he rounded the corner of the corridor, he heard the high pitched crack of a cane landing on tightened shorts clad buttocks. As he got to the door a second crack sounded. Opening the door he went through the tea room part to the common room. There he saw a tall boy waiting looking rather smug, he thought. Bending over was another boy with Tom Newman standing over him with a raised cane.
"Be with you in a moment Mr Snowden," said Tom, not looking at Max as he let go with the third stroke. About ten seconds later he applied the fourth stroke and then said to the bending boy, "Stand up Kerry, I hope you have learned your lesson this time."
"Yes Sir," said the red faced boy, his hands hovering over his backside as he stood in front of Tom.
"You may stand over by the cupboard with your hands on your head, while I deal with Lewis."
Kerry still very red in the face moved over to the cupboard while Tom watched.
"Lewis come over here. You know why you are being punished don't you?"
"Yes Sir."
"Tell Mr Snowdon and I the reason."
"Well Sir, I made some rude remarks about you and several other teachers."
"Yes Lewis, and the language you used was not fit for use in the toilet let alone in my classroom."
"I suppose not Sir."
"Are you trying to be cheeky?"
"No Sir. I'm sorry Sir."
"Not as sorry as you are going to be. I wont bore you with the 'this is going to hurt me more than you' bit, because you, my little boy are going to be hurt. Hopefully it will teach you to be careful next time you open your mouth. Bend over."
Max watching as Lewis bent over could see the seat of his shorts tighten over his backside. The outline of Lewis's underpants were plainly seen through the tightened gray flannel, as the buttocks were pushed upwards, waiting to be chastised. Max watched Tom Newman gently tap against the lower half of the bending boy's behind as he got the aim and the distance right, before lifting the cane to his shoulder. There was a pause and Tom unwound swinging his weight behind his shoulder and then a noticeable flick of the wrist, just before the cane landed with a loud crack, on its target.
Lewis didn't move. Two more strokes fell, each about ten seconds apart. After the third stroke Lewis flinched a little. The fourth stroke fell. Max could see Lewis visibly relax as he started to stand up.
"I haven't finished yet Lewis. Stay down."
Lewis stood up. "But Sir, that's not fair. Kerry only got four."
"Kerry was not the ringleader of the loud off colour comments. I wont tell you again, bend over and stay down until you are told to get up."
This time Lewis bent over much more slowly. Max could see the pain in his face as he waited for the next strike from the cane. There was a louder crack followed ten seconds later by the loudest crack of them all. Max saw the cane just about disappear from sight as it sunk into the stretched material.
Lewis howled, "AAAAAAHHHHHOOOOOOWWWWWW."
"You may stand up Lewis." When he was up, trying to blink away his tears, "I hope you have learnt your lesson this time Lewis. I will not tolorate cheeky little boys in my class. You may take Kerry with you as you leave."
After the two boys had left the room, I doudt I will have any more problems with Kerry, he is not a bad lad, but Lewis is going to be trouble before too long. Lets get a cup of tea before heading home. The kids think that they have homework, they don't know half of it."
The following week Paul Downie was disruptive in class again. He got a big laugh from his fellow class mates and some made follow on comments hoping to keep the lesson off track for a little longer. Max decided to follow Tom Newman's advice.
"Smith, Connolly, Bledisloe and Phistner, you all have double detention plus you will write out five hundred lines 'I will not be disruptive, like a donkey, in the classroom.' You will hand them to me on Monday. Downie I will see you in the staff common room at 3.35pm today."
Since it was just after morning break at 10:30, Paul had the rest of the morning to go through and then all the afternoon. Still he wasn't too worried. After all Snowie had caned him before and he had hardly felt it. And, while a trip to the common room meant that the punishment was going to be a little more tougher, he thought that he would be able to handle it without disgracing himself by crying. Just about the whole school had heard how Lewis cried after getting six from Tom Newman, and they were still giving him hell about it.
The morning dragged on. In history he collected a detention for not paying attention. At last lunch came around. After eating his lunch he and his friend Jeff Strawbridge mooched about the quadrangle talking.
"Hell, going to the staff room is no big thing. I'll probably only get three instead of two and anyway Snowie doesn't hurt when he canes. The last time I got two, the marks had gone in two days."
"Paul I wouldn't take it too lightly. After all Snowie plays cricket and golf. If he wants to hurt you I bet he can."
"Bull_s_h_i_t_, he can't hurt a fly. He is a softie."
"Downie I heard that. I will see you and Strawbridge outside the Common room after school." Unseen by the two, Max had been on lunch monitor duty and had overheard just about the whole conversation. As he walked away he heard......
"_s_h_i_t_ now we are really in trouble," from Jeff Strawbridge.
Paul had been in all sorts of trouble before, but he had never had to go to the common room. He was really worried. What if Jeff was right and Snowie could hit hard enough to really hurt. Suddenly the afternoon seemed to drag. At last the bell rang signaling the start of afternoon school. As the afternoon dragged on he collected another detention and while they were changing rooms before the last period Jeff spoke up.
"Paul, for goodness sake buck up. If you get three detentions in a week you see the Head and the least that comes out of that is a letter home to your parents plus a caning."
"I don't care, they can't kill me."
"Yeah but you'll have a very sore arse." They got to their last class for the day. And they managed to get through it without anything more drastic happening. They made their way to their lockers and then went along the long corridor to the teachers common room.
As they waited outside teachers came and went and after about ten minutes activity quietened down. A further five minutes past before the door opened and Mr Snowden stood there in the doorway.
"Downie and Strawbridge this way please." He led them through the tea room part of the staff room and into the common room proper. After Jeff had come through the door, "Strawbridge shut the door please." Jeff did so. "Right boys over here." When they had complied he gestured for them to stand just in front of him. "Wait here." Max walked across the room to a alcove in which coats could be seen hanging. He disappeared from sight for a couple of moments and then came back with two straight canes in his hands. Both the same length at one metre, but one slightly thicker than the other.
"I cant say that I am pleased by your comments that I overheard at lunch time, Downie. I think that you have talked yourself into more trouble than that which you were originally in. As for you Strawbridge, you gave Downie some excellent advice, but the language that you used to do it, was not the appropriate language that you use at school. Do you have any thing to say before I punish you both as I see fit?"
"No Sir," they both said together. It was well known that once the cane was in sight, that no amount of talking was going to stop it from being lashed across your backside, so most boys accepted it.
"Very well, Strawbridge you are first. Go over by the chair facing the wall, then bend over and touch your toes." Jeff did as he was instructed first looking at the Paul. Paul watching could see the gray flannel stretch over his friend's rather prominent behind. Jeff had like Paul been caned before, and knowing about Mr Snowden's sporting prowess made him feel a little apprehensive. "Strawbridge, you are going to get three.
Mr Snowden raised the cane and tapped Jeff's behind getting the distance right. The cane was lifted to shoulder height and descended again in a blur, to land with a sharp crack across both of the tightly stretched buttocks. There was a pause and again the cane fell, followed ten seconds later by the third stroke.
"You may stand up Strawbridge." Jeff stood up slowly and turned towards Paul. Paul was surprised to see tears glinting in his eyes, while his face was bright red. As he walked over to where Paul was standing he started to rub his bottom very gently.
"Downie, it is your turn now to face the music. Go over to the chair, turn the seat to the wall, and then bend over the back of the chair with your hands down the front legs of the chair as far as you can reach. When Paul was in position, "Legs apart, right, you will receive four strokes."
This time it was Jeff's turn to watch as the cane was tapped across the waiting bottom. Jeff saw the cane get raised to shoulder height and then with a sound of swishing followed by a loud crack the first stroke landed. He saw Paul shudder slightly as he felt the hot firey sting of that first devastating stroke. The second stroke landed. Jeff saw it land just under the site of the first stroke, for a moment he thought that he could see the two marks of the cane imprinted onto the stretched material. Under his breath he was saying come on Paul you can do it. The third stroke landed. This time into the lower half of the buttocks. Paul looked as though he was going to stand, but settled down again waiting for the last stroke.
The last stroke landed. It was right down on the crease where Paul would feel it every time he sat down for the next few days.
"Well Downie, you may stand up. I hope you have learnt this time that playing the fool in class is not a laughing matter."
As Paul stood and slowly turned, Jeff could see tears falling from his eyes. He stuttered as he answered.
"Y.........yes Sir."
"Very good, you are both dismissed."
As the two left the common room, Max could see them both gently rubbing their behinds. He hoped that he had driven the message home this time and that he would not have to cane either of them again.
As for Paul, he resolved that he would never be a visitor to the common room again.