One of the ways that I brought up my boys was to ensure that they appreciated everything in life and have great respect for people not so fortunate as them. My two sons Mark and Paul were always brought up in a strict environment. I said that until the boys are living under my roof and I have control of their finances by paying for their tuition and various needs, then they shall respect and abide by the very strict rules I have created in the household.
Since we were living in Singapore, one of the rules concerned their dress code. Boys were kept in shorts throughout the entire year. Furthermore their footwear was limited to simple flip flops and nothing else. This meant that when boys were in the house they had to remian barefoot at all times. Flip flops were permitted solely for wearing outside of the house. By this I do not mean going out to take the garbage but long periods were the boys were not present in the household. Sneakers, shoes, sandals and socks were strictly forbidden with a punishment of 3 strokes of the cane applied to the boys naked soles for each item worn of forbidden clothing. That meant 3 strokes on the back of each foot. Exceptions were made in the case of dinner parties, get togethers where a different form of attire was expected. One must realize that the nerves on the back of the feet are far more sensitive and thus the pain is that much greater. This made the punishment all that much more undesirable. This form of discipline was rare as my boys were pretty obedient when it came to their dress code. However on the day of the 14th of April Mark was caught breaking this very strict rule.
The boys were on what might be called a spring break and decided to stay in Singapore and hang out with their friends. My wife and I were both working and so the boys were alone until 17:00 in the afternoon most of the time free to do as they pleased. They were both enjoying their last year of high school. On this particular day I had closed a very lucrative business deal and decided to go home early. As I was driving towards our house I noticed Mark with a few of his friends not too far from where we live. There was nothing unusual about that, however he was wearing a white pair of sneakers and a pair of socks. I called up my wife and asked her if she had given permission for Mark to wear socks and sneakers and she said NO. I pulled up to the side where they were all standing and pulled down my window. The boy had a look of awe and shock on his face when he realized that he was caught.
"Mark, you may say goodbye to your friends as we are going home."
"Yes sir"
The boy knew better than to argue. He got into the car and we drove home without saying a word. As we got inside he proceeded to take of his sneakers and socks when I stopped him and said
"No leave them on. I want to see you in my study within 5 minutes dressed as you are. Is that clear?"
"Yes sir"
I went into my study and thought about the punishment that I was going to inflict on the boy. He came in five minutes later, dressed as he was when he first came into the house.
"I want you to explain yourself boy"
"Dad, I'm sorry. My friends called me up and asked me whether I wanted to hang out with them and meet a few girls. I didn't want to wear my flip flops as I wanted to look cooler and I always wear the same footwear so I thought I could wear something different"
"Without my permission or your mothers?"
"I'm sorry dad"
"I'm sure you are boy but not as sorry as you will be. You were planning to come back before 17:00 and take them off so that I wouldn't suspect anything. Is that not true young man?"
"Yes sir. I'm sorry sir"
"Mark ,there are numerous reasons why you are limited to flip flops. First it teaches you humility when looking at people who cannot afford clothing on the streets. Secondly it teaches you that we as your parents are in charge and thus can enforce any rule we please. Thirdly once you start working you will appreciate the fact that you can buy nice clothes and finally it is healthier for your feet. Now you broke a serious rule and the punishment will be severe. You are to go to your room and take of those sneakers and socks. You will report back to my study in 30 minutes where I shall inform you of your punishment."
He left the room quietly closing the door behind him. I went over to the cupboard and took out the senior boys cane. It was a most effective instrument of agony and I knew that Paul will suffer that day especially considering that this will be a foot caning. I put it back into its place and waited for the boy to arrive. He came back in 30 minutes wearing nothing but shorts, underwear and a t shirt.
"Mark, you have worn 4 items of forbidden clothing. That means that I am going to give you 12 strokes of the cane on the back of your barefeet. I want you to realise that means 12 strokes on the back fo each foot. Furthermore since it seems you do not appreciate your current attire I decided you also need a lesson in humility. Thus for the next week you are forbidden to wear any kind of footwear including flip flops. You shall conduct all your outside activities barefoot and I shall make sure that you have a lot of outside chores to perform this week like going shopping, or anything else that I can think off. Is that clear?"
"Yes sir"
He said that whilst beginning to snivel realizing the error of his ways.
"Now go and fetch the cane from the cupboard and bring it to me."
He went and got it from the cupboard and obediently handed it to me.
"Kiss the tip of the instrument boy"
As he kissed it as a sign of proper respect, I told him to assume the punishment position. That meant that he had to lye down on the bed in my study and grip the end of the bed with both hands. I placed his feet far apart from each other.
"Now I am going to remind you of the rules. Your are to keep your feet apart at all times. You are not allowed to touch any foot with the other one during your whipping in an attempt to ease the pain. You are to count each stroke out loud by asking for it and thanking me once you receive it. If you miscount, wait too long to count, count in an improper fashion or do not maintain the proper punishment position, than an extra 2 strokes will follow for each mistake in addition to you repeating the last stroke. Is that clear?"
"Yes sir"
"Very well"
I went behind the boy. His white soles were wide apart. I knew Mark had a high threshold for pain. He was on the schools wrestling team and my whippings had toughened the boy up. I had to make sure that he would truly suffer so that the punishment achieved its objective. I tapped his right foot with the cane gently and told the boy he may begin.
"Please sir. May I have the first stroke sir"
I then drew the cane back and sharply brought it down.
Swish
Crack
The cane bit sharply just in the middle of the foot. A white line appeared before slowly turning onto a vivid red welt
"Thank you for the first stroke sir. Please sir. May I have the second stroke sir?"
Swish
Crack
AAAA
The boy gasped in pain. the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh strokes all caused vivid red welts. Then on the 8th stroke the boy could not take the pain and used his left foot to cover the right one in an attempt to ease the pain. Realizing what he had done he quickly resumed the necessary position and said
"Sorry sir"
"I'm afraid that is not good enough. You were warned and now you shall suffer the additional punishment of two strokes and you shall repeat the last one"
I made sure that the next strokes were even harder and more painful
Swish
Crack
"Thank you for the eighth stroke sir. May I please have the ninth stroke sir?"
Swish
Crack
By the time we got to number 12 his foot was covered in red welts. I decided to make the last two really count
Swish
Crack
A line of blood appeared as one of the blood blisters was broken.
'Thank you for the thirteenth stroke sir. May I please have the fourteenth stroke sir?
I delivered the final stroke causing another line of blood to appear. I believed that the boy had earned this form of punishment due to his lack of obedience during the whipping and thus deserved a significant amount of extra pain. The boy was by now in tears crying freely but knew better than to beg for mercy as that only resulted in additional punishment.
"Now its time for your left foot"
"Yes sir"
I began caning him just as hard on the left foot as I did on the right. Again he had earned himself some additional strokes for not addressing me as sir during the counting ritual and once again I ensured that breaking of the skin would occur. By the time I had finished the foot caning, the boys feet were covered in red welts and a little blood.
"Right your whipping is concluded. Stand up and face the wall for 30 minutes."
The boy got up but was finding a hard time walking.
"Get use to the pain boy. It will stay with you for at least the next week. Furthermore the fact that you shall remain completely barefoot all next week will not help matters. I hope you have learned you lesson that I take such disobedience very seriously and you will suffer everytime you choose to pursue this course of action. Is that clear?
"Yes sir"