Author's Note: These stories still aren't coming out in the order I've planned. If an idea hits me at the right time, as this one did, it can jump to the head of the queue.
Background: Unlike all my other stories, this one isn't based on a particular TV show or Movie. A passing reference in this week's TV guide to Kathie Lee Gifford (the Co-host of the morning talk show "Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee") and her son Cody reminded me of an interview I once read in which she stated that she believed in spanking. In about five seconds, I had written this story in my head. Even though this story is about real people and not fictional characters, I wish to emphasize that it is, to the best of my knowledge, complete fiction. Two other bits of information; Kathie Lee is the spokeswoman for Carnival Cruises and is married to the sportscaster Frank Gifford.
* * * * *
"In the morning, in the evening, ain't we got fun!" Kathie Lee sang as she held her hat out in the ocean breeze.
"Cut!" shouted out the director. Kathie Lee groaned to herself and dropped her arms to her sides.
"What was wrong with that?" she asked. "That was just what you wanted."
"You were fine, Kathie Lee," the director patiently explained, "But Cody wandered into the frame of vision."
Kathie Lee turned and looked sternly at her seven year-old son.
"Cody, didn't I tell you to stay out of the way?" she asked him.
"I'm sorry mom," he replied even though his tone indicated that he couldn't care less, "I didn't know I'd gotten in the picture."
"Listen young man, when I give you instructions, I expect to be obeyed. Now go over to that deck chair and stay there until I tell you to get up."
With a pout on his cute face, Cody did as he was told. Kathie Lee watched to make sure he was sitting properly before she turned back to the director.
"I've given everyone a five minute break," he told her. "I want to shoot one more take before lunch and I'd like it to be a good one. Just relax and we'll pick it up in a bit."
Kathie Lee saw the wisdom in this. She was supposed to be looking like she was having the time of her life in these commercials. No-one would want to take a cruise if she looked flustered in the add.
She went and sat in the deck chair next to Cody and leaned her head back. Her contract with Carnival required her to take one of their cruises every year so they could shoot some new footage to use. At least it was a free vacation. She had needed a vacation this year. First, people had been accusing her of profiting from sweatshops and then her husband's _s_e_x_capades had been splashed all over the tabloids. The plan was to do all the commercial work on the first day at sea, and they she, Frank and the children could enjoy the rest of their vacation.
It had been several years since she had done the Western Caribbean cruise and this was her first time sailing on the Carnival Destiny. Kathie Lee had to admit that it was one hell of a boat. All of Carnival's ships were like floating hotels, but this one was so big it was more like a floating city block. Mr. Arison had good reason to be proud of it.
With today tied up by work, she had put her daughter Cassidy in day care. Carnival really did have a good program for kids and so she decided that she may as well take advantage of it. That freed Frank up to relax. Looking over Cody, she wished that she had put him in there as well. But Carnival wanted him in the add, too. It made sense, of course. They were trying to attract families with children, and how better to illustrate that than showing their spokeswoman frolicking with her blonde-headed little boy?
But Cody was being a real pain today. Sometimes Kathie Lee regretted putting Cody in the media's eye the way she had. Lately, it had been getting to his head and he was becoming a bit too big for his britches. At least she had kept his sister out of the spotlight. Two of them would be a bit too much to handle. Seeing the director getting ready again, she stood up and went over to the set-up.
"All right, Kathie Lee," the director said, "Like before, just walk down the side of the pool and sing your lines. At the end just throw your hands in the air."
Kathie Lee took her spot and waited for the cue. As the director shouted "Action!" she sprung to life. With her trademark perky smile, she sashayed down the pool deck singing. Of course, they would do a voice-over in the studio, but her lips had to match the words being sung. She could tell this was a good take; she even felt like she was having a great time as she sang her final line and threw her hat in the air.
"And cut!" the director shouted, "Great Kathie Lee, that's a wrap!"
Kathie Lee smiled at him but her euphoria only lasted a moment. She heard a high-pitched shout to her side and they she was hit by a splash of pool water. Turning to look, she spotted Cody bobbing up and down in the pool.
"Didn't I tell you to stay in that chair, young man?" she asked.
"Yea, but I'm supposed to be in the pool for the next scene," he replied nonchalantly.
"We're not shooting that until after lunch, little mister," she informed him calmly but coolly, "Your antics have pushed our schedule back somewhat. Now get out of the pool. We're going down to the cabin right now."
Cody's face fell as he realized what she meant. Slowly he got out of the water and came over to his mother. She firmly grasped his hand and started briskly walking toward the elevator. The Carnival people had kept the area around the shoot free from bystanders, but now she was among the passengers. Many of them recognized her and Cody and she just smiled at them as they greeted her. She didn't want the world to know what she had in store for her precocious young son. Reaching the elevator, she pushed the button and went inside. She and Cody were the only ones riding it at that moment, and he tried to plead his case.
"Mom....," he began. She turned toward him and held her finger up in his face.
"Don't say it Cody," she advised him, "You've been a pest all day and you've had plenty of warnings. You're going to get your trunks pulled down and anything you say is only going to make it worse."
Cody gulped. He'd realized that he was going to be spanked, but she was going to make him pull his pants down too? He was really beginning to regret the way he'd acted all morning.
The elevator stopped and they got out on their floor. As they got closer to their cabin door, Cody started dragging his feet, but his mother just pulled him along at the same brisk pace. Reaching the door, Kathie Lee unlocked it and led him inside. Cody saw his Dad laying on the bed reading a sports magazine.
"Oh good, Frank, I'm glad you're here," Kathie Lee said, "Your son needs a good, hard spanking and I'm a bit too angry with him right now." Frank raised his eyebrows and looked at his wife and son.
"What's he done?" he calmly asked as he put down his magazine.
""He's been a little nuisance all morning, not doing what he was told even after I gave him several warnings."
"Is this true, Cody?" he asked his son sternly.
There was no point denying it and so Cody looked at the floor and nodded his head. Things were going downhill fast for him. Even if his mom was mad, he'd much rather be spanked by her because spankings from Dad always hurt a lot more. He could only hope that Dad would not make him take down his swimming trunks.
"Come over here, then," Dad instructed him. Mom sat down in a chair to watch the punishment as Cody shuffled slowly over to his father.
"You know better than to disobey your mother, Cody" Dad told him, "We're not going to put up with this kind of behavior from you. No matter how big you think you are, I'm going to turn you over my knee and spank your bottom good and hard."
His last hope was dashed as he felt his father's hands take hold of his wet trunks and tug them off. With that, Cody felt himself being picked up and draped naked over Dad's knees. 'At least my friends can't see me, now' Cody thought to himself as Dad pointed his butt in the air and brought his hand down, SMACK!
He emitted a high-pitched squeal as his father's heavy hand came down on his bare bottom, SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!
A boy as young as Cody wasn't going to hold back his tears and the cabin was soon filled with his lusty wails, SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!!
"I'm sorry, Daddy!," SMACK! "I'm sorry, please...." SMACK! "Please, please, stop!" SMACK! "Owww, please...." SMACK! "It hurts, Daddy!" SMACK!
Frank ignored all of his son's pleas. As long as Cody could beg, he figured that he hadn't got the message through. The boy's buns were a hot shade of red and Frank's hand was stinging. Cody had finally given way to a steady howl and so Frank gave him four more just to drive the lesson home, SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!! SMACK!!!
Realizing that the spanking was finally over, Cody reached around and rubbed his stinging little cheeks. Tears were flowing freely from his eyes as Dad picked him up and laid him face down on the bed. It took him a few minutes to get back under control and then Mom asked him what kind of a sandwich he wanted for lunch. He told her and she ordered room service for the three of them. Cody wanted to get dressed, but Mom wouldn't let him put on his wet trunks in the air conditioned room so he had to stay naked. He was very embarrassed when the waiter came; Dad invited him in to pay him and so he got a good look at the naked little boy.
After lunch, Kathie Lee took her son back to the pool deck and they got the rest of the commercial filmed. From then on their vacation was a blast; Carnival really did make sure they had a good time. And when Cody saw the finished commercial later, he realized that only he and his parents knew that the reason he was smiling in the pool scene was because the cool water felt so good on his blistered bottom!