"Dad, I've been getting into an awful lot of trouble at school recently," Justin said to his father.
"Why, what have you been up to? Is it anything serious? What's been the problem?" his father asked.
"No, nothing real serious," the boy replied, "I've just been so restless lately and I just can't seem to settle down."
"I see. Then maybe it's time you had a good dose of the strap across your buttocks," the boy's father replied.
"Yes, Sir," said the 15 year old, "I'm sure it would do me the world of good. It's been a long time since the last beating."
"Just how long has it been since you've have a solid whipping?" asked his Dad.
"It must be about three or four months." Justin replied.
"Yes, then I feel that might be the answer. It usually settles you boys down quite well, doesn't it?" his Dad asked.
"Yes, Sir. Shall I prepare for punishment now?"
"All right. We might as well get it over with. The sooner the better for you, I suppose. Get the strap out of the cupboard and wait for me in my office, Son. And while your there, get the cane out as well. For good measure we might start you off with a few good cuts of the cane, too. It certainly won't go astray, will it?"
"Thank you, Dad. I'll go and get ready."
Justin left for his Dad's office and on the way collected both the strap and the cane from the top shelf of the cupboard. He entered the room, closed the door behind him and placed the strap across the back of the chair. He placed the cane on his father's desk and then stripped naked ready for his beating.
The strap was a thick piece of leather about a metre in length and seven to eight centimetres wide. The end of the strap was split into several thin strips, so that when administered, each stroke had the effect of a number of separate lashes. On the rare occasions when either Justin or his brothers were treated to such punishment, the pain was excruciating. To flinch during punishment, instantly brought an additional whipping. However, as far as the boys were concerned it was very beneficial and did them a lot of good. It certainly settled them down and kept them out of trouble for some considerable time, even if only for fear of another dose.
His dad was a strict disciplinarian and liberal doses of the strap across the bare buttocks were meted out at even the slightest provocation to ensure good discipline. He believed that if it were necessary to use the strap, then a solid thrashing was of far more lasting benefit than a mild punishment. Fortunately for the boys, this did not occur too frequently as the mere thought of punishment ensured that they kept themselves out of trouble.
This time Justin was to be given an additional flogging with the cane as his dad put it "to warm you up for the main punishment."
Soon, Justin's father arrived and reached for the cane. "Bend over," he ordered, "and let's both hope that this does you some good."
Young Justin spread his feet apart and bent over as low as he could. Six mighty cuts of the cane slowly and solidly thundered across his buttocks.
Already the boy could feel the benefit of a good beating in helping him to settle down once again and yet he knew that the punishment had barely just begun. He was uncertain at this stage as to how many strokes of the strap he was to receive, but he knew from experience, that it would have to be substantial in order to be an effective method of correction.
Also, he realised, the caning was just the "warm up" as his Dad had earlier told him.
"Justin, stand up please!" ordered his father.
The boy stood naked at attention, his buttocks marked with six thick red welts.
"Now," said his dad, "let's just sort out how unsatisfactory your behaviour has been lately. You're also old enough and mature enough to know that to do you good the whipping must be a severe one. Right, Son?"
"Yes, Sir. The way I've been lately, it will have to be very strong if I'm to learn from it and I do deserve it as hard as you can lay it on."
"Then, let's get it over with and hope you benefit. Assume the punishment position, Son."
Justin handed the strap to his father, still uncertain as to the extent of the punishment and this time approached the desk in the centre of the room. He spread his legs apart so that as much as possible of his buttocks were exposed for punishment and bent down low across the desk. He grasped the other side of the desk to hold himself steady, for he knew if he dared flinch he was in for even more.
"The punishment will be completed when I feel you've learnt a good lesson and it's settled you down properly, all right, Justin?"
"Yes, Sir," said the boy, "I'm ready. Lay it on as hard as you can, Dad. I deserve it."
"Right, count each stroke, aloud, as usual, Justin. You are to take your punishment like a man and don't you dare move. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Sir."
"And if you move, there will be more. Right?"
"Yes, Sir."
His father drew the strap back high over his shoulders in readiness for the first stroke. The strap flew through the air and landed heavily across his son's naked bottom. As it flayed across the boy's buttocks Justin called, "One, Sir."
Again, the strap flew through the air, landing on Justin's bottom like a crack of thunder. He flinched!
"Were you or were you not warned about moving, Son?" asked Justin's father.
"Yes, Sir," sobbed the boy.
Not only was the stroke not to be counted as part of his punishment, but he was advised that the next three were the "reward" for not taking his punishment as instructed. He then laid on three particularly hard cuts of the strap.
"Now, we can continue", said his father. "Resume counting."
The whipping continued, Justin counting each stroke . . "Two, Sir . . . Three, Sir . . . Four, Sir . . . Five, Sir . . . . . Fourteen, Sir . . . Fifteen, Sir."
"Stand up," Justin's father instructed.
Justin slowly rose to an erect position, his buttocks visibly raw in various shades of red, blue and black as a result of his punishment. "Thank you, Dad, for correcting me," he said. "That was a good whipping. I thoroughly deserved it. I am sure it will help settle me down."
"Yes, well I'm still not quite sure. I think we'll finish off with a further caning, just to be certain. Right, bend over again!"
"Dad, I've learnt my lesson," pleaded the boy.
"I beg your pardon."
"Dad, I've learnt my lesson. It's settled me down, well. I don't think I'll be in any more trouble for a long time."
"Justin, when I want your advice, I'll ask for it. How dare you question my judgement. And just for speaking out of turn, you may hand me the strap again and get yourself over the desk."
"Yes, Sir. I'm sorry, Sir."
The boy again spreadeagled himself over the desk and held his breath as another four solid strokes of the strap lashed across his buttocks.
"Now, get up, Justin."
Justin rose.
"Now are we ready for the cane or is there anything else you wish to say?".
"No, Sir. I'm ready."
"Right. Then bend over."
This time Justin did as instructed without any protest, spread his feet apart and bent over as low as he could. Another six mighty cuts of the cane were laid across his buttocks.
In all, twelve cuts of the cane and twenty three strokes of the leather strap across his bottom surely settled the boy down.
"Get up," the boy's father instructed.
Justin rose. He realised that he had learnt a valuable lesson and was now headed back on the straight and narrow. Although in pain, he was most grateful to his Dad.
"Thank you, Dad, for correcting me," he said. "That was a good whipping. I thoroughly deserved it and I am really sorry for speaking out of turn."
"Well, do you think that will settle you down now?"
"Yes, Sir. No doubt at all."
And it did. As always, Justin came to agree that, despite its certain unpleasantness, to say the least, the most efficient method of correction for a growing boy was to lay on a good whipping. And his Dad did, whenever the occasion warranted it!