Young Jeffery felt like he was missing on life’s great experiences.  If he had been older and listening to his younger self he would have declared that was an absolutely ridiculous idea but that was not the case.  All his friends, cousins, cub scout den mates and many classmates had spoken about such experiences.  He had even heard several girls speaking excitedly about it although, strangely, only as observers.© Y Lee Coyote

These boys usually boasted about how well they had taken it which was different from telling about going to the zoo or a museum.  It was more like telling about a scary roller coaster ride at the amusement park.

Jeffery wanted the experience but his parents did not think that it was the right thing to do so it never happened.  It was discouraging as he knew it would never happen.

A few times when he was alone in his bed snuggled under the blankets he tried experimenting doing it to himself.  He was not afraid of being discovered because the door was closed and he knew that the heavy blanket muffled the noise.

Such experiments were highly unsatisfactory.

Jeffery also found the games played at den meetings were not satisfactory either.  That was true whether he was a winner or loser (which was which was not clear to him in his deprived state) in the game or neither and just observed.

Then came the summer of discovery.  His parents were taking a three-week vacation and he would stay with his Uncle Gordon and Aunt Bessie’s family.  Cousins Robbie who was a year older and Robyn two years younger had both told him about their experiences.

“Would he finally get to experience it and know about it himself?” was a frequent recurrent thought once he was told about the vacation plans.

It happened one afternoon everyone was in the backyard.  Jeffery, Robbie and a couple of his friends were running about playing while Robyn, her friend and two dolls were having a tea party.  The incident occurred when Robyn was getting a play tea refill and Robbie crashed into her.  Even though unhurt she howled.  Aunt Bessie was not amused and usual warnings issued.

It was a couple of hours later when the friends were all gone that the consequences became clear.  They were in the family room and the real lecture was given to Robbie by his mother while Robyn and Jeffery watched.  Then Robbie lost his shorts and was over the maternal lap for, as she put it, a lesson in behavior from the brush.

It sounded dreadful to Jeffery as it was his first real experience.  Robyn was highly approving and Robbie’s bottom was soon bright red.  Later Robbie insisted “Aw, it’s nothing.” and that he wouldn’t cry like a baby.  Jeffery was amazed at the heat radiating from his cousin’s rear.  Robbie did own up to that when his dad did it, especially the last time with the strap, he almost does cry.

Jeffery decided that he really, absolutely positivity needed the actual experience, he himself, and not just observing.  The obvious of being bad or naughty did not occur to him because it did not work at home.  Another approach was needed.

Jeffery went into a period of extreme thinking to solve his problem.  He was so distracted that his aunt had to yell at him for the simplest things and Robbie gave up on him and sent out of the game.  Eventually he came up with the solution.

It was very simple.

Just ask for it!

He waited until Aunt Bessie was alone and her TV show was finished.  He got the brush and went to her discarding his shorts before speaking.

“Aunt Bessie, I’ve been a bad boy like Robbie was three days ago knocking over Robyn.  I need to be taught a lesson like he was.”

Needless to say, she was nonplused.  His aunt failed to analyze the situation nor remember that her nephew had different rules of behavior than her own kids.  Without a conscious thought, she reflexively took the proffered brush and Jeffery climbed over her lap with just a little assistance.

Jeffery howled loud enough to wake the dead on the first WHACK.  He repeated this for every WHACK and was crying, nay, bawling by the sixth one.

It was then that Bessie stopped and comforted the boy.

At bedtime he showed his blazing red-hot bottom to his cousin who was both admiring and sympathetic.  Then under the covers, lying prone, he carefully considered the experience.  As he tried to rub to pain away, he concluded that watching was a much more pleasant experience and he did not have any desire to repeat the burning hot new experience.