Bob a Job


by Rosewood

This took place about 40 years ago and only readers in UK might follow it well.

When I was about ten I did my first bob a job week. I had left the flat, where I lived with my mum and very annoying 4 year old brother, I was dressed neatly and proudly inmy new uniform of shirt, shorts, long socks, shoes, and scarf with a toggle. I was a new scout and anxious to impress my pack by collecting a lot of money for my troop. I held my yellow stickers tightly and headed for the part of the town where the large detached houses stood, hoping not to see the bob a job stcker in any windows. My luck was in as I turned into the drive where the houses had long drives and, I hoped, a lot of jobs. I hoped the jobs would not be too hard, as I was not a particularly strong or tall boy. Just a normal 10 year old.

Mum had told me to be polite and do as I was told and that way I would earn plenty of money for the troop.

I knocked at the first door and waited quietly and nervously. After kncking several times and had no reply I became a little disappointed. The owners must have been out or at work. The same thing happened at the next house and I began to become a little down hearted. I was concerned that I might not get any jobs.

The next house I tried was a little different to the first two. It was still large and imposing to me but the paintwork was shabby. I leant my bike up against the outside wall of the property and knocked and waited. An old man opened the door and I explained that I was a member of the local scout group and asked if he have any jobs for me to do for a bob. he smiled and asked my age. I politely replied that I was ten years old. he told me that he would be going out soon and would I be interested in cleaning an old garden bench in his garden that afternoon. It would be hard work but he would give me 5 bob if I did it well.

he asked if I could return later and he would find some old clothes I could wear as he did not want me to get into trouble by getting my new uniform dirty.

he asked if my parents would punish me if my clothes did get dirty and I told him that I did not have a dad but my mum would probably punish me.

I said that I would return after lunch and rode to the next house very excited about the promised 5 bob.

The rest of the morning passed by quickly with a few small jobs and a few bob. I had never met so many kind old people who seemed very happy to give me a bob in return for small chores. At home, I thought, mum expected me to do a lot of chores and I never got any bobs for that, just a hard whack on my bare bottom from her kitchen spoon if I did not do the jobs to her standard.

After lunch I cycled fast to the old man's house and knocked loudly, hoping he had not forgotten his promise.

I entered the house following him to a back room where he showed me a pair of swimming trunck and explaied that, as it was a hot day, it was ideal to scub the bench with soapy water and that wearing the trunks would stop me gettng my uniform dirty. I thought he was veryu kind to have thought about me like this and I was keen to get the job done snd 5 bob in my shorts pocket. The man closed the door and I undressed and pulled on the trunks. It never occurred to me that it was strange that an old man would have a pair of swimming trunks that fitted a ten year old boy.

next thing I knew I was in a very large garden with a scubbing brush and a bucket of warm soapy water. the old man told me that I could get as wet as I needed as I could have a bath before leaving, if I wanted. As that did not appeal to me I deceicded that I could get wet, but not too dirty.

I got on with the job with all my energy, scrubbing every part of the wooden bench and removing as much grime as I could. From time to time the man offered me lemonade and watched me as I worked, but never complained or commented like mum used to. At least this man could not give my bottom a smack if I did not clean the bench exaclty right , I thought. He semed a nice freindly old man and sat close by drinking his lemonade and watching me. he asked questions about my family, where I lived, if I was a good boy and did what I was told etc and eventually the bench and I were very wet and the bench looked very clean.

the man asked me if I wanted a bath but I was rather shy and replied that perhaps I could have a towel and dry myself. I stood in front of the man drying my body and he said he would comb my hair.

As he was combing my hair he asked me if he could take the truncks down and look at my bottom, quickly adding that he would give me another 5 bob if I agreed, making 10 bob in total.

I knew from what they told us in school that this was not right but agreed, thinking of how proud the troop would be of me for raising so much money, and the next thing I knew I was back in the house standing between the mans knees as he sat in an armchair in the room where my uniform was folded.

he held my at the waist and then turned me around so that I had my back to him, then he started to pull by swimming briefs down over my bottom. I stood still and the man asked me more questions about how my mum smacked me and telling me that I was a very handsome young man, which made me feel grown up. Although I did not like talking about how mum smacked my bottom with her spoon I just kept thinking about my money and wondering if any of my friends had collected as much as I had.

After some time the man said I could get dressed.

he asked me if I wanted to come back the next day and do another job or do a job at the home of a freind of his.

That is how it started. next time I will tell you how he and mum got married and he became in charge of giving me and my brother hard smacked bottoms when we were naughty.


More stories by Rosewood