I could tell Major Daley was still put out with me. He just sat there and all but glared. Finally he said "Well, I'm listening, Dan."
"Yes, sir," I stammered out. "I wanted to say I'm sorry about last night." I looked up at him expectantly. He still only stared, apparently unsoftened, so I went on. "I'm sorry for the trouble we caused, and the mess we made. It was a stupid thing to do." I looked back up at the major. "And most of all I'm sorry I disappointed you."
He was a little taken aback at this. I hoped he was relenting some, but all that came out was "Uh-huh."
"The way you looked at Ben and me last night - that really made me feel bad."
"Well if you realize how foolishly you two behaved last night, you should understand that I was mad as hell."
"Yes, sir, you had a right to be. Furious with us, I mean." I paused, then continued. "And then you said we both needed a good whipping. And then you looked away from me and grabbed Ben and said 'That's what this one's getting, anyway.' " I gazed down at the floor. "Ben told me you gave him a good whipping for it."
"Yeah, I did. He had it coming."
I looked beseechingly at Maj. Daley. "And you think that's what I need too?"
This startled him. "You're asking me if you deserve..."
I shook my head. "No, I don't need to ask. I know I deserve one too. But..."
He was looking curiously at me now. I think his attitude was changing.
"You know my mother, Major Daley, so you can guess how she reacted. She was upset, then mad, then she started crying. She doesn't know what to do - how to handle this. And I sure don't. So I thought maybe the best thing to do would be if you punished me the way you did Ben."
Maj. Daley nodded in agreement, but said, "You know it isn't my place to punish you, Dan."
"Yes, sir, but you're the closest thing to a father I've got." I looked down again. "Anyway, I told my mother I'd come over here and talk to you about it."
"And what did she say?"
"She was a little surprised at first. Then she said it was a good idea. She was at a loss about what to do and said it would take a lot of worry off her. But then she changed her mind after she thought about it a little while. She thinks that sometimes you're a little severe with Ben and Chuck."
I looked at him. "Go on," he said. I think he was interested, and approving, and I hope I had improved his opinion of me.
"So I told her I'd come over and at least talk to you about it. See what you thought was best. Then I could decide. I waited till everybody else went off to the program at the school. So here I am."
He nodded again. "And you want me to punish you - instead of your mother?"
"Yes, sir. I - I trust you . I know you'll be fair, but still give me what I've got coming. I just don't want you to be mad at me, or think I was getting away with something, or getting off easy."
"I see." He considered a moment. "Did Ben tell you exactly what I did to him? I mean all the juicy details?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well, tell me what he said. I want to be sure you have the facts straight before you make your decision."
I shrugged. "He just said you did what you always do when you're really mad. You made him pull down his pants and underpants and bend over, and then you used your belt on him."
"That sounds pretty accurate. Did he tell you how many licks I gave him?"
"No, sir. Maybe he didn't remember."
"Oh, he remembered all right. I always make my boys count them themselves. I gave him twenty good licks - and I mean good ones - for that little stunt last night. Then when he thought I was finished, I gave him an extra five for lying to me about it. Is that what you want me to do to you, Dan?"
I hesitated. "If that's what you think I deserve, yes, sir."
Major Daley nodded. "Okay." He considered a moment. "Just make up your mind once and for all so there won't be any regrets later. I want you to fully understand what you're getting into."
I nodded.
"You want me to give you the whipping you deserve?"
"Yes, sir."
"All right. I can handle that."
"Thank you," I said softly.
"You might not thank me after we get started. Okay, you want to get this over with now?"
"Whenever it's convenient for you."
"Well, we seem to have the house to ourselves, so let's do it now. I'm gonna handle you just the way I do Chuck and Ben. Give you the full treatment so you won't be disappointed. Understand?"
"Yes, sir."
"You've shown me you know why you ought to be punished, so I'm gonna spare you the lecture I gave Ben last night. It was a doozy, too. Nice and loud. I'm surprised you didn't hear it over at your house."
I managed a smile.
"All right, then." Maj. Daley got up and walked toward me. I stood up too. "Since you're so well informed, you must know we take care of these things in my bedroom."
I nodded.
He jerked his arm out straight and pointed to the hall. "So march!"
I knew the way perfectly well, but the major put a firm hand on my back to guide me gently along. I could tell his attitude toward me had changed considerably; but as we walked down the hallway to his bedroom, as Ben must have done many times before, I couldn't help wondering if I had done a smart thing or not. Still, knowing that Major Daley now had an improved opinion of me was worth a lot.
Once inside the Daleys' bedroom, the major reached back and shut the door. Then, after giving me a friendly pat on the back, he sat on the foot of his bed.
"Now look, Dan. I'm not going to whip you like I did Ben."
"But I thought..."
He held up a hand. "Just let me finish. I'm not going to because you don't deserve it. Let me tell you the reasons for that. One, this is your first time. I went easy on my boys the first time I gave them a whipping, too. Two, I haven't warned you about it again and again the way I have Ben. And most importantly, three, you were man enough to come over here and volunteer to take your medicine. I like that a lot. It shows me you've already practically learned your lesson."
"You mean you're not gonna..."
"Oh, I'm going to give you a whipping, all right. The whipping you deserve, just like I said. And it'll be one you won't forget. I promise. Still ready?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good boy!" He got up from the bed.
My eyes naturally wandered to the major's waist. "Are you still going to use your belt?"
"This dinky little thing? Naaw. I thought Ben told you everything. I keep my good belt in the closet." He walked toward it.
"Yeah, I remember that now."
Major Daley emerged from the closet holding a wide brown leather belt between his hands. He folded it in two then struck his left palm with it. "This is the belt I use on my boys and this is the belt I'm gonna use on you, Dan. Wanna look?"
He held it out for me to examine. It did look pretty thick, and I bet the major knew how to use it. He'd certainly had enough practice.
"Still want to go through with this?"
I nodded.
"All rightee. The first thing you do is move that chair right here." He pointed first to an armchair near the wall then to the area at the foot of the bed where we stood. I walked over and moved the chair as he directed.
"Turn it around so the back's facing you. That's right. Now. This is the point where I tell Chuck and Ben to pull down their pants."
I reached down and started to unbuckle my belt.
"Whoa. I didn't tell you to, did I?"
"Well, no, sir, but..."
"You do as I tell you, Dan, got it?"
"Yes, sir."
"I'm gonna let you keep them up. But don't worry." Major Daley looked at his belt and gave it a slight swing. "You'll feel this the way I want you to. Okay. Now, bend over the chair. Grab the seat with both hands. Over a little more. That's good."
I waited.
"Now that I have your complete attention...It doesn't feel too good to have to bend over like that, does it?"
"No, sir."
"Pretty embarrassing, huh? And can you imagine how much worse it would feel if I had made you pull your pants down?"
I nodded.
"Yeah. That's part of the punishment, Dan, having to lose some of your control and dignity and do something embarrassing like this. That's why I keep these liittle sessions just between me and my boys. Understand?"
"Yes, sir."
"Just a few rules. You don't move out of position, you don't try to protect yourself with your hands, and you don't get up until I tell you to, or you get extra."
"I understand."
"Then let's get started." I heard him move directly behind me. "I make my boys count each lick aloud. Nice and clear. And believe me, after a few licks that's not easy to do. But they know they better, because if I don't hear it loud and clear, they get the lick again. Got it?"
"Yes, sir."
"So are you ready for the whipping you deserve, son?"
"Yes, sir."
"Al right. Here it comes."
I closed my eyes and my whole body tensed. I had no idea how it would feel, only that it would be something painful. In a moment, I felt something tap against the seat of my pants.
Major Daley said, "You're supposed to count 'em, remember, Dan? That was one. Am I going to have to do it over?"
I overcame my surprise and practically yelled "One!"
"That's it. Now here comes the second one."
Again a tap. I counted out "Two!"
"Very good. I tell you what, you've been so nice and cooperative, I'm gonna do the counting for you. Here's three! and four!"
The major touched the belt to the seat of my jeans six more times.
"Now we're half finished. Whew! This is a real workout. I need to rest my arm so I can do a really good job with the next ten."
He moved around in front of me, and I looked up into his smiling face. "Not what you expected, is it, son?"
"No, sir."
"Well, I promised to give you the whipping you deserve, and I am. Twenty licks with my belt." Major Daley leaned down right into my face. "But that doesn't mean they have to hurt."
He raised up and walked behind me again. "So let's get this thing over with. Here's eleven! Twelve!'
I got nine more taps of the major's belt, then he stopped.
"Now for this last one, Dan, I'm gonna give you a real lick. Practically full force. Just keep in mind that you've still got your pants up, which is more than Chuck and Ben ever did. I want to give you a little sting, something to remember me by. Is that okay with you?"
I gulped. "Yes, sir."
"Then here's number twenty."
I tensed again.
Crack!
That one did hurt some, enough to make me jump. Part of that was due to surprise. When Maj. Daley moved his belt away, the area he had hit was really tingling.
"Sorry, Dan, I didn't mean to hit you that hard. Force of habit."
"It's okay..."
"Good! Now. Have you learned your lesson, young man?"
"Yes, sir!"
"You aren't going to pull anything like last night again, are you?"
"No, sir!"
"You better not, because if I have to do this again..."
"You won't, you won't!"
"It'll be a hundred times worse! Got it?"
"Yes, sir."
"All right. You've had the punishment you deserve. I say so. You can raise up now."
I did, slowly, as the major replaced his belt in the closet.
"Now that I've satisfied your curiosity, Dan, I hope I've made enough of an impression on you to keep you out of trouble. Because if you make me do this again, I'll really be mad."
"If I ever disappoint you again, Major Daley, I'll deserve the worst whipping you can dish out."
We started down the hall.
"All that physical exertion has made me thirsty. You'll have a coke with me, won't you, Dan?"
"Sure."
"The rest of the family ought to be back soon. Hey," he nudged me, "How do you suppose Ben is managing to sit down in those hard auditorium seats?"