Before we start, one needs to understand about the strict Code of rules the young man was raised with just as his forefathers were.  Breaking any of these rules earns CP appropriate to one’s age.  They were for life so that one did not outgrow them.  He learnt this when he was a tween for his grandfather took his father to the woodshed even though he never actually witnessed the event but only the aftermath discomfort.© Y Lee Coyote

Fifteen-year-old Gordon returned from school late because Mr. Unreasonable had arbitrarily held the class because a couple of troublemakers had pissed him off.  Everyone had to suffer because of them.  It was not a good way to end an otherwise good school day and it didn’t improve his mood any.

Gordon had barely gotten home when his dad informed him that he had to go out unexpectedly and to “Take care of your brother and I’ll be back in a couple of hours.” and dashed out.  Gordon sighed and had his after school snack his mood further depressed by the extra chore.  It helped that he checked out his social media feeds and his favorite web sites.

It was when he got to his room that the situation instantly deteriorated completely.

His almost twelve-year-old kid brother, Joey, was there.  That possibly could be forgiven but he had made a mess with the model glue ineptly trying to repair the complex model that he had damaged.  Gordon gritted his teeth and clenched his fists tightly and counted to ten slowly so that he would not explode like a WMD.  He had to repeat the count six times before he was sure he could control himself.  Losing control was definitely against the rules.

It was only then that he screamed at his brother “What the blazes are you doing in my room?  I see you trashed the difficult model I made and you made a mess with the glue.”

“I’m sorry…” Joey started but was cutoff.

“Sorry!  Hell!  Sorry does NOT cut it.  You’re not allowed to touch my stuff.  Now get your pants down and get over the low table.  You’re getting the cane, you, … you, … vandal!”

Joey was terrified not to obey as he understood the rules.  Gordon got the evil but useful cane their father kept in his room as a constant reminder and approached his brother.  He raised the cane and brought it down on the target.  It swished and the thwack left an angry red track on the boy’s bottom.  The entire condo echoed with the boy’s horrendous howl.

That howl coincided with Dad coming back from his errands early.  He rushed to see what was happening.  Then came the second thwack and howl as he got to Gordon’s room.  He was appalled and yelled at his eldest son to stop immediately and explain what was going on.

“I’m sorry I broke your model.  It was an accident and I tried to fix it.  Dad said I could look at them.” whined Joey now that he could get a word in and rubbing his bottom.

“How could you?  You know how destructive Joey is.  He breaks everything he touches.” Gordon berated his father.

“This place and all the stuff are mine so don’t speak to me like that, boy.  And you don’t have the right to beat your brother.”

“You said ‘Take care of Joey’ and you have taught us that we get punished immediately for breaking the Code.  I was doing my unsolicited job!  I was following the family Code we all agreed to.” Gordon paused.  “That model was all MINE!  I bought it with MY snow shoveling and lawn mowing earnings.  I build it with many hours of MY loving, careful labor.  It was MINE.  All MINE!”

By now Joey was being comforted by his father who was trying to make amends for the devastation caused his careless words.  Then he repeated the fateful words “I’m sorry.”

Gordon saw RED!  “Sorry doesn’t cut it, father. SORRY just doesn’t cut it like you taught me.  This damn cane cuts it.” he responded forcefully and angrily swishing the cane for emphasis.  “Show me that you are really sorry.”

There was silence for what seemed like eternity and then another swish of the cane.  “Drop ‘em and assume the position like you mean ‘sorry’.” Gordon was recalling events when he had broken the Code.

There was a long pause and then he added two of the rules from the Code that he had heard zillions of times.  “The rules apply to everyone.  A man takes responsibility for his actions.”

Dad was trapped by his own words.  There was but one way to retain (or was it restore) the respect of his beloved eldest son.  He opened his belt and jeans and pushed them down along with his underpants.  Then he leaned on the bed and waited silently.

The cane swished and thwacked and a red tram line appeared on his butt.  He gritted his teeth for it hurt just like when his father had caned him.  Five more times it was repeated until the youth said “Done.  Get up.”

Order had been restored.