Usual disclaimers apply.
"The boy who made that disgusting noise will stand up NOW!"
The master glared at the six lads doing detention. Moments before, a resounding fart had echoed around the dusty classroom. Boys had laughed uproariously at the rude sound. One rushed to open the windows. Now all were silent.
Mr Scott studied his 15-year-old delinquents, the expression on his face was grim. A chair scraped on the wooden floor as Tony Guthrie got to his feet. The other lads sighed with relief.
"Guthrie, stay here. The rest of you can go".
There was an immediate clatter of departing boys.
"QUIETLY!" the teacher shouted.
After the door had closed, Mr Scott turned to the unrepentant boy.
"Come here, Guthrie. I'll soon wipe the smile off your face".
The boy stood in front of his teacher.
"Why did you do it, Guthrie? Are you unwell?"
"No, sir". The youth scratched his backside. "I thought it was going to be a silent one".
"Well, you should have asked to be excused".
"Yes. sir".
The teacher picked up a thin, whippy cane.
"Bend over".
Guthrie touched his toes.
"No, right over. Palms of hands on floor".
The teacher inspected the lad's firm buttocks which were tightly encased in a pair of uniform shorts, several sizes too small for him.
Mr Scott inflicted six hefty cuts of the cane and was rewarded by one loud groan from Guthrie.
"Up you get".
The boy was white-faced and busy rubbing the tears from his eyes.
"Let that be a lesson to you. Now get out of my sight".
A short time later, the teacher was cycling down a quiet suburban street. He caught sight of Joe Guthrie, Tony's older brother. Joe, who worked for the council, was busy filling in a large pothole. It was a hot day and Joe was stripped to the waist. The teacher admired the young man's muscular torso.
"Hello, Joe"
The handsome young man squinted in the sunlight.
"Mr Scott, as I live and breathe!". Joe smiled fondly at his old teacher.
"Just wanted to tell you Joe that I had to thrash young Tony this afternoon. Gross impertinence. I got a groan out of him but doubt that the cane made much of an impression on him".
"Well, I'm sorry the lad played up. You tickled my bum with that blessed cane often enough".
"Indeed ! I hope you'll have a word him".
"I'll do that", Joe promised grimly. The teacher cycled off.
Some time later, Joe arrived home. In the porch, he washed the grime off before going into the house. His widowed mother was busy serving up dinner.
"I saw Mr Scott this afternoon", Joe told Tony who was sitting at the table reading a comic. "Remind me to tan your backside, later, in case I forget".
Tony's mouth turned down.
"Old Scotty's already given me a sixer" the boy protested. "My bum hurts like hell".
"Language", his mother said.
"What did you do to upset Mr Scott?" Joe asked.
"All I did was blow off. It came out louder than I thought".
That's your trouble, son. You never think". His mother said while placing big plates of appetising food on the table in front of her boys. There was silence while they ate.
Tony looked warily at his big brother. There was a five year age difference between them. Joe had never so much as laid a finger on him before so Tony regarded the 'tanned backside' as more of a threat than a promise.
After the meal, Joe washed the dishes while Tony dried them. Their mother put on her coat.
"I won't be long", she said. Thursday nights she helped out as a volunteer at an old people's home. The front door slammed shut behind her.
Joe pulled the plug out of the sink and the soapy water drained away. Tony hung up the tea towel.
"There was something I was meaning to do", Joe said while scratching his muscular buttocks. "Fix your bike? No that wasn't it". He scratched his other cheek. "Help you write a thank you letter to Auntie Gladys for the birthday present? No. What was it?"
Tony shuffled his feet.
"I remember", his brother said. "I promised to tan your backside".
"But Joe .."
"Don't interrupt. On second thoughts, the belt would split open the cane welts and we don't want that". He looked at his kid brother.
"Do you often get into trouble at school?"
"Sometimes".
"Well, it's only natural. Did Mr Scott light a fire in your backside?"
"My oath!" said Tony with feeling.
"The old beggar hasn't lost his touch". Joe scratched his head. "Tell you what, we'll say no more about it. Mind you keep a cork in your bum-hole in future or you really will feel my belt".
"Yes, Joe".
"Feel up to kicking a soccer ball around?"
"Yes, please!".
The brothers, one short, the other tall, ran outside into the yard. Life was back to normal in the Guthrie household.