In my offering The Listener I described how I was able to listen to the frequent beatings which took place in my next door neighbours home. I had, to my delight, been able to purchase a tiny fish eye spy lens which I intended to use to also enable me to watch. I had drilled a tiny hole through the wall and had inserted the lens in it. It was high in the corner of the room and could not possibly be noticed by anyone next door. I had to stand on a chair to see through but it offered an excellent view of the room which was clearly the childrens bedroom as there was a bunk style bed in one corner and a small single bed in the other. I eagerly awaited my first opportunity to use my new toy.
The next weekend I was reading the paper when I was disturbed by loud shouting and tearful childrens voices from next door. Knowing what this meant I rushed to my office and took up position, on my chair, peering through the lens. Almost immediately the door of the bedroom burst open and my neighbour came through dragging a child by the arm with each hand. The youngest boy Peter was clearly to be spared on this occasion. The punishment today was for 11 year old Stuart and James, 9. Both kids were weeping. Shorts Off their father barked and the two boys obeyed instantly. Stuart now stood in tight red briefs, James in green ones. Father went to a cupboard from which he produced a long thin bamboo cane with a curved handle. He grasped Stuart by the arm and propelled him to the centre of the room. Over he yelled and the boy pulled down his briefs and bent over touching his toes.
16 hard cracks of the cane followed (clearly the misbehaviour had been serious) each one bringing a pitiful sobbing scream from the bending 11 year old. After the last stroke the boy was ordered to stand but he made no attempt to raise his briefs, he simply stood where he had been caned, hands on head. Clearly this was the expected routine. James was then dragged into the middle of the room. Again the command Over. Briefs lowered James waited tearfully for the first stroke. Being younger, at least I assume that was the reason, he was only given 12 but he was still sobbing uncontrollably as the blows fell. After the last stroke James was ordered to stand and father replaced the cane in the cupboard and left the room without further comment.
Gingerly both boys pulled up their briefs and began rubbing their bottoms, still sobbing pitifully. After about two minutes they did something I felt was quite touching. They were still crying but they hugged each other, clearly trying to give each other some comfort.
For my part I eagerly awaited my next opportunity to use my little spy lens.