Craig was a very scared 9 year old. He had been climbing trees, although told not to, and he had snagged his almost new t shirt on one of the trees, causing it to rip. Mother had shouted at him when he got home and told him to "wait till your father gets home". Craig knew this meant a painful session with his dad's cane. And it would be carried out after dinner in front of the whole family. It was the custom for the offender to stand whilst father told everyone at the table, which was mum, Craig, and his three brothers aged 14, 11 and 6, and his 12 year old sister. The punishment was then carried out with great ceremony in front of the captive audience. Craig had been sent to his room to wait for his father's homecoming. Eventually dad got home, mum told him what had happened, and Craig was called down so they could all sit down for dinner. Craig didn't enjoy dinner that night.
Eventually dinner was done and father ordered Craig to stand. Craig had been told to continue wearing the damaged t shirt. Father began to speak " You can all see that Craig has damaged an almost new t shirt. He damaged it on a tree he was climbing, even though he had been told not to climb trees. You all know the rules and now you will all watch as Craig learns his two lessons." He then turned to face Craig. "You are expected to look after your clothes Craig, not to destroy them. You also know that if you are told not to do something what will happen to you if you do it. For ripping your shirt you will get 8 strokes of the cane, for disobedience you will get a further 8. Undress." With the whole family looking on Craig removed the damaged t shirt and placed it on the chair he had been sitting on for dinner. He then removed his tiny blue nylon shorts which he placed with the shirt. Then his socks. Then the part which all the children hated most, the ultimate humiliation of total nakedness. Craig slipped his yellow briefs off, placed them with his other clothes and stood, hands on head, as was the custom facing his father. "Richard, fetch the cane" father ordered the eldest boy who immediately rose to comply with his father's order. "Deborah, fetch the stool". And the only girl child in the family went to the kitchen to fetch the kitchen stool which the children, including Deborah herself on occasions, had to bend over to receive their canings.
Stool and cane were brought into the dining room. The stool was placed centrally in the room and the cane was handed to father who stood and walked round the table to where Craig stood. Father faced the 9 year old. "Into position" was all he needed to say. Craig bent over the stool. The room was totally silent except for the plaintive sniffling of a frightened child. "As I have said Craig you are getting 16. Count the strokes as they land"
In front of the rest of the family the ritual was played out. Craig sobbing and counting as the bamboo did it's work. The rest of the family watching impassively, the children particularly intently as they knew one of them would soon be undergoing the punishment which their brother was currently enduring.