Nicky's Non-Bon Fire
I was laying on my stomach on my bed, playing my hand held football game (80's version of the Gameboy). I should have been doing my homework, but I just didn't feel like it. In my mind, I was the star quarterback in the Superbowl, and I was making the play of a lifetime. That is just so much more interesting than Algebra, isn't it?
I heard a light knock on my open door. Looking up, I saw Nick standing there. "Hey."
Nick walked in my room and shut the door. He sat down on my bed next to me and watched me play for a minute or two. I figured he wanted something, but knowing him, he'll tell me when he is good and ready. Besides, I was still emersed in my Superbowl fantasy.
When I scored the winning touchdown and the world had bowed at my feet, I shut the game off, sat up and looked at him. "What's up?"
He shrugged.
"Bull _s_h_i_t_," I stated.
He waited a few more seconds and finally said, "I need you to sign a note for me." He reached in his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper.
"What did you do?" I asked, taking the note.
"Nuthin..."
"Yeah, then get Mom to sign this," I taunted him, waving the still folded note at him.
"Ok, I skipped school yesterday.... Will you sign it?" Nick asked. "Please?"
"Certainly," I said, smiling at him. "For a price."
"Yeah, ok, whatever you want, man....." Nick said shaking his head. "Name it."
Getting up, I sat down at my desk and opened the note. Nick wrote a standard "Please excuse my son from school yesterday. He was ill" note. I signed my father's name to the note. I swung around on my desk chair, handed him the note and said "I'll get back to you on the payment".
"Cool, whatever, I owe you," he said. "Thanks."
I figured he'd get up and leave, but he sat there. I could tell he had something else on his mind. Do I really want to get into this with him? Sometimes getting info out of him is like pulling teeth. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw my Algebra book. Hmmm.... talk to Nick or do my Algebra? Screw Algebra. Nick looks like he needs to talk, and I'm up for playing dentist. Besides, it is the good "big brother" thing to do.
"So, dude, what else is going on?" I asked.
"Um.... I ahh... Last year, when you turned thirteen..... Did ahhh....." he fumbled around.
I knew exactly where he was going with this conversation. Nick turned thirteen two weeks ago. Dad probably told him his next spanking was going to be with a belt. Guess that explains why he wanted me to sign this note for him. I was enjoying Nick tap-dance around this subject, so I let him ramble on for another minute. When it was obvious he was not going to get one full sentence out, I figured it was time to jump in.
"Nick, let me guess. You just turned thirteen so Dad told you the next time he spanks you it'll be with his belt, right?"
"Yeeeaah..." he answered slowly.
"So????" I asked.
"Well... How bad does it hurt? I mean, what's it like?" he asked quietly.
"I could whip you if you really want to know," I answered smiling. "Want me to whip you?"
Nick tilted his head and just looked at me. Funny, I don't think he liked that idea.
"Ok, it hurts like a bitch. The brush hurts, but not like this. Getting whipped with a belt will hurt more then anything you've ever felt before. Believe me, it'll have your ass crying in short order," I answered.
"How does he do it?"
"Come on, you've seen Dad whip me," I answered confused.
"Yeah, I know, but.... But Dad beats me after you .... sure, I watch but, I don't know, and I don't really pay attention. I know when Dad is done with your ass, I'm next. After Dad gets through with me, I don't remember or give a _d_a_m_n_ what he did to you," he defended himself. Realizing what he said about me, he added, "Sorry..."
I smirked, "Yeah, ok, I understand.... Um...well, Dad tells me to bend over the cedar chest, put my hands down flat and stay there until he says you can stand back up. If you do jump up, which you will, he'll probably yell at you to get back down. Just bend back over as soon as you can. Dad used to get whipped by Grandpa, so I think he almost espects us to stand up at first." I explained. "Oh, and don't beg him to stop. Dad said if you are man enough to do the crime, you are man enough to take the punishment. Begging is cowardly."
"You ever beg?"
"Hell no! The man is already whipping my ass, you think I have a death wish?" I repsonded. "Just stand there and take it like a man."
Nick stared at me. "You've got to be kidding? Dad is going to make me stand up, turn around, bend over, and stay that way so he can lite my ass up with a belt??"
"Yup," I answered. "Sucks, big time."
"No way. There is no way I'll be able to do that," Nick insisted.
"Yeah, you will. I do," I told him. "When you think you can't stay down any longer, just grip the back of the cedar chest. That helps."
Nicky nodded. "Has Mom ever whupped you?" he asked.
I shook my head no, "Just Dad. She still uses that _d_a_m_n_ brush."
Nick sat there quiet thinking about what I told him. "Does Dad always do it the same way?"
"Pretty much."
"So, Dad never puts you over his knee anymore?" he asked curiously.
"Nope," I answered, shaking my head.
"Well, that's good. I hate that. God, I feel like such a baby when he puts me over his knee. But, I wonder why Dad doesn't whip you over his knee....."
"I dunno.... Maybe it's too hard to swing a belt with a kid across your lap," I guessed.
"Maybe...but, Dad is still a lot bigger then we are....." Nick said thoughtfully.
I got up, went in my closet and grabbed one of my belts. Walking back to my desk chair, I told Nick to come closer to me.
As Nick walked the three feet towards me, "Bend over my knee," I told him as I grabbed his arm and gently started pulling him towards me.
"_f_u_c_k_ you! I don't think so!" Nick said and stepped back shaking his arm away from my hand.
"Oh come on, I won't whip you, I just want to see if Dad could whip us while we were over his lap," I told him.
"No! _f_u_c_k_ no!" Nick objected.
"You're the one that brought this up, come on. Nick, I promise I will not whip you."
"NO!"
"Come on, get over here."
"No way, here use a pillow, I will never lay across you lap, dude. Ain't gonna happen!" he protested. He reached over to my pillow and threw it at me.
I caught the pillow and threw it back on my bed. I had an idea. "Hey, buddy, pay up. This is payment for me signing that note," I informed him.
"Oh, come on, Chris, no..... This isn't fair," he objected again.
"Payment time, little brother. Now, get your ass across my lap," I ordered. I knew that would work. My brothers and I had made a pact a few years earlier. One rule of the pact was to never lie to each other. Another rule was to always trust each other and never go back on a deal.
"Fine," Nick said reluctantly. He slowly laid across my lap. "Just don't whip me, Chris."
I smacked his butt with my hand. He propped his upper body up with his hands and looked back sharply, "Chris! You said!"
Smacking his butt again, harder, I said "Pipe down, that was my hand, I said I wouldn't *whip* you, I didn't say anything about spanking your sorry ass!"
"Chris!"
"Alright, alright - kidding. Just lay there a sec, will ya?" I told him. I doubled the belt over in my hand. I reached up with my right hand and did a light swing on his butt. It was a little awkward. "Dude, scoot back a little," I instructed him. Groaning, Nick complied. I did another swing with the belt lightly hitting Nick's butt. That felt a little better, but it was still rather awkward.
I had Nick move a few more times, including making him turn around and face the other direction since Dad was left handed. It still felt awkward, especially after I had Nick turn around. Of course, I had never spanked anyone before, so that could be part of the problem too.
"Well?" Nick asked finally, still hung over my lap.
"It's kinda awkward. I don't know. I think Dad could do it, he's bigger than I am," I told him.
Nick propped his arms up and twisted to look at me. "Awkward how?"
"I dunno, like I can't get a good swing. See how -- " I raised my arm to show him.
"Chris, where is---" Mom said, as she knocked and opened my bedroom door. Mom stopped short when she saw us.
Nicky twisted sharply towards her.
I dropped the belt, grabbed Nick's waist and propelled him up on his feet and I stood up next to him. We weren't really doing anything wrong, but from our actions it sure looked like we were.
"Hhmph," Mom said. Narrowing her eyes, she asked "Do I want to know what you guys are doing?"
"Probably not," Nick answered. I felt him move is right arm. I think he was sliding the note I signed for him further down into his back pocket.
"Nick, Chris wasn't getting ready to spank you, was he?"
"No, ma'am," Nick answered honestly.
"Ok," Mom said slowly. "Never mind, I really don't want to know." Mom closed the door and walked away.
Nick and I started laughing, and we never did finish our conversation about why Dad doesn't whip us over his knee.
A few weeks later, Mom and I started arguing. She wouldn't let me go to Tommy's to shoot some hoops. Said I couldn't go anywhere until I finished my chores. I was not in the mood for this. I mean, what is up with "chores"? What are we? Characters on "Little House on the Prairie"? Anyway, I was really ticked off at her, but, as mad as I was, I knew not to push my luck too far. Mad, yes. Stupid, no.
I decided to go for a walk to cool off. Since I wasn't allowed to go anywhere, I started walking in our back yard and into the woods behind the house. We had several acres of land on our property. With 4-wheelers we made quite a few trails. We even named the trails. I was walking towards the Dungeon on Dungeon Alley.
The Dungeon was a large shed that my mother had us build the summer before. Apparently we were driving her nuts during summer break, so she made us build a building. We thought we were building her another greenhouse or shed. As we were building it, Nick joked that it was so far from the house, that Mom and Dad could beat and torture us here without anyone ever knowing. Jokingly Mom started calling it the Dungeon. When we were finished building it, she told us it was ours. The name Dungeon stuck. There were a few ground rules associated with the Dungeon, but it was basically ours.
As I was walking, I was having a hell of a fight in my mind with my mother. I was still mad at her, but the more I walked, the less anger I felt. I was almost to the Dungeon, when I heard one of our 4-wheelers on Fire Lane. Fire Lane was a nearby trail. Through the trees, I could see it was Nicky. There was a small area, just past the Dungeon, where we had bon fires. That is where Fire Lane led to. We had cleared a nice sized circle and even dragged over some down logs to sit on. Nick was the family pyromaniac. He had been bugging Dad for the past week to allow him to set a bon fire. Dad kept telling him no because it hadn't rained recently. That was such bull _s_h_i_t_. Dad didn't want him to set a bon fire and was just using that as an excuse. It was April, it wasn't that hot and it certainly wasn't dry out. But, when Dad says no, he means no.
I walked past the Dungeon towards the clearing. Nick hadn't seen me yet, so I thought I'd sneak up on him and scare him. The Dungeon was a long walk from the house, and usually we didn't walk it. I didn't have to be too careful because Nick would never suspect me being there. Nick had parked the 4-wheeler and was walking through the woods picking up small twigs and branches to burn. I hid behind a large tree about 15 feet away from where Nick was going to light the bon fire.
I waited about a minute for Nick to come back -- he was rather picky about the wood he burned. He might be the family pyro, but he was a picky pyro. When I start a bon fire, I just grab the closest twigs and branchs I can find and start lighting them up. My bon fires aren't as nice and don't long lasting as Nicks, but they burn, and fire is fire, right? Just before Nick came back, I heard another 4-wheeler coming up Fire Lane. It was Dad. Uh-oh.... Dad wasn't going to like what Nick was doing. I looked around for Nick to warn him, but he wasn't in sight.
Dad parked his 4-wheeler next to the log by the bon fire circle and sat there with his arms crossed waiting for my brother. Just as I started to walk out into the open, Nick came into view of my father. Dad sat up straighter and started nodding his head. Nick walked up with an arm load of small branches. He looked at our father, slowly put the wood down and walked towards him.
"Dad," he said.
Dad slowly got off his 4-wheeler and put his hands on Nicky's shoulders. "Are you doing what I think you are?" he asked.
"Yes, Dad," Nick answered. He was busted. He knew it, and lying only made things worse. He could have said he was just getting the firewood ready for when Dad did allow him to build a bon fire, but Dad wouldn't have bought it and Nick knew it.
"How many times did I tell you NOT to start a bon fire?" Dad yelled.
Nicky flinched a little, and shrugged his shoulders. "Several times," he answered quietly.
"So, you just thought you knew better and you were going to do it anyway? You deliberately disobeyed me!" Dad still had his hands on Nicky's shoulders and he have him a hard shake when he said this. Nick flinched again.
"Yes, sir," Nick answered, trying to look my father in his eyes.
About this time, I decided it was best I just stay put.
"Boy, do you remember what I told you would happen when you got in trouble the next time?" Dad asked him.
Nicky's shoulders slumped. He nodded his head.
"Answer me!"
"Yes. I remember," Nicky said very quietly.
"What did I tell you?"
"You said," Nick paused. "You, um....said...that...." Nick stopped. Looked away from Dad, then taking a deep breath, looked my father and said "You said that since I was thirteen, that you," he paused slightly, took another breath, "were going to.......whup my butt with your belt."
Oh yeah, no way was I going to move now. I felt a bit awkward, like I shouldn't be there, but I couldn't move without my father seeing me. I didn't do anything wrong, but if Dad was breaking out his belt, I wanted my butt as far away from my father as possible.
"That's right. Now, do you know why you are about to get your butt whupped?"
"Yes, Dad," Nick whispered, still fighting the urge to plant his eyes on the ground.
"Do you have anything to say?" Dad asked.
Shaking his head, Nick said, "No, Dad."
Looking around, "Now, step over here." Dad put his hand on the back of Nicky's neck. He pulled Nick close to him and talked low to him. I couldn't hear what was said, but I could see Nicky's facial expression --- he looked really scared and almost like he was going to puke.
Dad pointed to log we use to sit on. Nick walked in front of it. Before bending over, he turned back around, "Dad?" he said pleadingly.
"Nicholas! What did I just tell you about begging me? Don't _f_u_c_k_ing do it, boy! I did not raise my sons to be cowardly! Now bend your ass over!" Dad yelled at him.
Nick quickly turned around and bent over. Dad took off his belt and walked closer to him. He put his hand on Nick's lower back and pushed up Nick's shirt. Dad wrapped his belt around his hand a few times and then reached back and....
CRACK!
Nicky immediately stood up. "OW!" I heard him take a breath and then he slowly bent back over again. Dad pushed down on his lower back. "Stay down, boy!"
Dad had turned slightly and if he turned his head in my direction, he'd see me. I stopped watching at this point and tried to remain hidden behind the tree.
CRACK!
"OW!!!!"
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
"OOohhwww!!! Daaaaddd!!!!!" Nick cried.
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
"Owwwwwwwwwwww!!!!"
CRACK
"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH"
CRACK!!!
"AAhhhhhh!!! OWwww! Ow ow..."
Dad stopped whipping Nick after ten. Nick continued to cry for a few minutes. I peeked around the tree. His legs were still shaking as he stood there. I smiled. Nick was shaking his legs trying to diseminate the pain in his butt by moving his legs. It didn't work, but I still did that every time too. As Nick cried, Dad unwound his belt from his hand and put his belt back on. Dad put his hand on Nick's lower back and rubbed his hand back and forth. When Nick's crying subsided some, Dad told him to stand up. Nick obeyed, wiped his face with his hands as he turned towards Dad. The whites of his eyes were really red and glassy. His eyes looked very blue. His cheeks were really flushed with dirty half-wiped tear tracks down them. Dad pulled him in close and hugged him really tight. Nick started to cry again on Dad's shoulders. "I'm sorry, Dad" he kept repeating. Dad was about eight inches taller then Nick. Nick looked small in his arms. Dad's arms went around Nick from the top of his sholders down to his waist.
Dad kissed Nick on the top of his head, let him go and put his hands on his shoulders. "Nicholas, if I tell you no bon fires, I mean no bon fires. Understood?"
"Understood," Nick answered, and nodded his head. He was still sniffling, but he pretty much stopped crying.
"You better start listening to me, boy, and your attitude better start improving too or you'll be feeling this belt again real soon," Dad lectured.
"Yes, sir," Nick answered.
Dad hugged Nick again. "Ok, I don't guess your butt is ready to sit on that 4-wheeler yet, so you can stay out here a little while," Dad told him. "You might want to walk down to the creek and wash your face up."
"Thanks, Dad."
Dad got on his 4-wheeler and fired up the engine.
"Dad," Nick called.
Dad looked at him, "Yes, Nicky?"
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, it won't happen again," Nicky apologized.
"I know it won't. It's over now," Dad answered him, and he rode off.
Nicky watched Dad ride way. When Dad was out of sight, Nick reached back and started rubbing his ass like no tomorrow. "_f_u_c_k_!" he yelled. "_d_a_m_n_ that hurt!" Nick walked over to the log he was just bent over. He sat down, yelped, and jumped back up again. He walked over to a tree and leaned on it, face first. One hand was rubbing his face, the other was still rubbing his butt. Finally he walked away and went down to the creek.
I walked out from behind the tree and sat down on one of the logs waiting for him. Nick walked back up, but didn't notice me sitting there. He leaned, face first, against another tree.
I walked up to him, and put my hand on his shoulder. He turned and he looked at me. His eyes were glassy again, but he wasn't quite crying.
"Chris? Did you...see" he started.
"Yeah, bro, I'm sorry. I was on Dungeon Alley when I saw you on Fire Lane. I was going to come up behind you and scare you, but Dad showed up before you came back from getting the firewood. I would have warned you, but Dad saw you first. Didn't you hear him pull up?"
Nick shook his head and leaned back against the tree. He contorted his face and rubbed it with his hand. "God, Chris, that hurt. He whupped me hard. Really hard." Nick was trying really hard not to cry again. He leaned forward and I put my hand on his shoulder. "You were right. That felt nothing like his hand or the brush. Felt like he was whipping my ass off my body. He must have whipped me a hundred times."
"Ten," I corrected.
"Ten? That's it? You're kidding me."
"Nope, only ten times," I replied.
"Ten times? Geez, ten times with the brush doesn't hurt like that."
"I know, Nick. I know...." I didn't know what else to tell him. Getting whipped sucked. Nothing easy about it.
"Hey, don't tell Sammy I'm cryin. Ok?" Nick asked.
I laughed. "Ok.... Hey, let me see."
Nick stepped in front of me and pulled down his jeans and briefs. "Is my butt fire engine red?" he asked.
"No, not really. Did he start at the top and works his way down and then back up again? That's how he whips me."
"Yeah, thought you said you saw?"
"I was behind the tree, I heard it, but I really didn't watch. Didn't want Dad to catch me there and kick my ass. Your butt's red, but I've seen it redder."
Nick pulled up his jeans and winced as he did. "Really? Then why does it hurt so bad?" Nick started rubbing his butt again.
"Welcome to thirteen, the age where we get whipped by a belt."
"This sucks. My ass is never going to stop hurting."
I laughed. "You'll live, bro.... you'll live. This might be the first time, but it won't be the last."
"Oh, yes, it is! I ain't never gonna get my ass whupped again! That _f_u_c_k_ing hurts!"
"Even if you have to be good the rest of your life? Yeah, right! I said that too. Didn't work."
"Chris, I'm telling you, Dad is never going to whup me again."
"Uh-huh. So, you ready to go home now?"
He sniffed. "Yeah. How'd you get here? I don't see your 4-wheeler. Is it at the Dungeon?"
"I walked."
"You walked here? Why?"
"Mom was bitching me out. I had to get out the house. Since I'm not allowed to go anywhere, I just started walking and ended up heading for the Dungeon."
"Dad gonna kick your butt when we get home?" Nick asked.
"I don't think so. Hope not," I answered.
"Yeah, well, Dad's arm is warmed up good. You better hope he ain't gonna kick your butt cause you'll be in a world of hurt," Nick said. "Want a ride home?"
"Sure, want me to drive and you hang on the back?"
"Definitely! I ain't gonna be able to sit for a week after that whuppin."