http://www.bransomtx.com/thewalk.html

I woke up Monday morning thinking about this incident. I don't know if I dreamed about it, or if it just came to me while I was laying half-awake. Either way, I dropped the other things on which I was working to do this one. Hope you think it deserved it.

Make sure you read the story before you read this post!

This was nearly the last spanking I gave Charlie before he had to leave for military school.

Discussing that is kind of hard, because I feel like I failed and betrayed Charlie by sending him away, even though things seem to have worked out well.

I mentioned that this story took place about ten days before the twins moved in with us, because their dad was in jail. I also pointed out that Charlie wasn't real good with younger kids. About a week after the twins moved in with us, even after I'd warned them not to bug Charlie much and even after I'd spanked Johnny for doing it, he was trying to get Charlie to play with him, and Charlie hit him.

I heard the crying, but Charlie came in to find me, swearing he'd not meant to do it. When I checked on Johnny, Charlie had hit him in the face and he had a bloody nose (and later, a black eye). I had to get Johnny doctored and calmed down before I could go find Charlie. He was in his closet, cuddled up with a coat (12 is too old for teddy bears, I guess). He was obviously cried out, but kept repeating that he hadn't meant to hit him like that. He never denied he'd meant to hit him, even knowing he'd get the switch, but he had only been aiming for his shoulder, when Johnny jumped into the way.

I had to report it to CPS and Charlie had to spend the night at a juvenile facility. I had my mom stay with the boys the next day, and they day after that, Charlie and I flew to Arizona, where I'd found a military-style academy that specialized in troubled boys and had therapist and a psychiatrist on staff. Charlie stayed there for over a year. I visited him several times, and he came back and spent the summer between 7th and 8th grades with us. We talked about him going to a different academy, but he stayed with us and moved back in with his mom for 9th grade, where he lived for two years. She has to work a lot of evenings now, so he moved back in with us last year.

I want to make it clear that I have never considered Charlie a bad kid. He was drugged out of his skull when I first started to care for him, and the first thing we did was wean him off all the drugs and detox him. Then we found a shrink-iatrist who didn't think drugs should be used as the fist alternative. If I hadn't had to take the twins when I did, I think Charlie would have worked out fine; but I was their godfather and not taking them would have been as much a betrayal of them as taking them in was a betrayal of Charlie. It was just a no-wins situation.

If I've not mentioned it before, Charlie is still on minor doses of two different drugs (and I'd have to look them up to spell them). Charlie has an allergic reaction to Ritalin, so he takes a substitute in the morning, then he takes something to help him sleep in the evening. That's a LOT less than he took when he moved in with me.

Good story again....I love surprises....and I think Cal was a good boy.....

Jack,

I'm rather late getting to this thread--sorry. I enjoyed the story on its own merits, but I have to say the emotion in this post about Charlie's background and what happened when the twins moved is downright moving.

Back to the story--this one had a lot of things going for it: surprise spankings for Huck and Caleb and the surprise of no spanking for Charlie, Caleb's endearing post-spanking apology and hug for Charlie, and just young boys getting their cute bottoms spanked in a general way.

It is a tribute to your mastery of the storytelling art that you evoke sympathy for the boys without making me resent you as the person who is spanking them. The concern and compassion come through just as clearly as the strictness.

Nice one!

Kat

Well, I'm certainly glad you don't resent me. I think the real key to that is understanding that the spanker is trying hard to be fair, but wants the boy(s) in question to learn an important lesson - even if it's just to follow the rules or mind.

I think it's easy to evoke sympathy with the boys. All of us were kids at one time. While girls may act differently from boys for the most part, we all mess up sometimes, so it's easy to identify with that. Even when you know that the kid deserves a punishment (even if it's Josh getting Red), you can both identify with their fear of the upcoming pain and understand the need to correct their behavior in their youth.

That's my approach to it, though it's not always been. The fact that I enjoy spanking I think accentuates those things, because my enjoyment makes me look deeper and be more careful. Which isn't to say that there aren't other ways that are equally as good. On MMSA, Tristan put his boys through hell, but the boys feel they need both the cleansing and to prove how tough they are. St. George often has boys who literally ask for their spankings. Boy Smack is someone who loves the spankings and often pairs his top up with a bottom who wants to be spanked. I think they're all valid methods (and you'll see others from me, as my stories branch away from modern day).

It was a really rought situation with Charlie. I'd thought about doing a story about it, but just don't think I could. I will post the one story I was involved with at the military school and the one story that happened on Charlie's first summer home in the future, but his leaving was very rough on both of us.

Thanks for the kind comments. I'm glad you liked the story.

Well, I'm certainly glad you don't resent me. I think the real key to that is understanding that the spanker is trying hard to be fair, but wants the boy(s) in question to learn an important lesson - even if it's just to follow the rules or mind.

I think it's easy to evoke sympathy with the boys. All of us were kids at one time. While girls may act differently from boys for the most part, we all mess up sometimes, so it's easy to identify with that. Even when you know that the kid deserves a punishment (even if it's Josh getting Red), you can both identify with their fear of the upcoming pain and understand the need to correct their behavior in their youth.

Perhaps it's easy for you, Jack, but I have read many stories in which the child is portrayed in an extremely negative way, obviously with no affection from the author/creator. I have also read stories in which a sympathetic character is spanked, and the spanker comes off as a monster regardless of whether the spanking is justified. It's very much to your credit that you synthesize these sometimes opposing viewpoints.

Kat

I have to agree with you on that. Thanks again for your kind words and support.

This story had everything: intense spankings and intense emotions. I think what you wrote in the first post of this thread should be at the end of the story itself. It gives the story a somewhat tragic feel: things don't always work out as we would like to. You take in troubled kids and it's normal that sometimes there are problems that can't be sorted just with discipline. I feel bad for Charlie, because I agree that he is not a bad boy, but just needed a lot of love, patience and consistence, but I understand that you had to think about the safety of the other boys too. Still, it seems that Charlie has made a lot of progress, and is doing well now, and I'm very happy for that. I certainly would like to read more about how he did at the military school and afterward.

The first spanking was really intense, and described in a very detailed way.

(I was afraid he thought it was sexual for me to rub his bottom. It was over a year later that I learned the way I rubbed tickled him.)

That was funny.

I announced that I wanted a family meeting in the living room.

Everyone left their shoes in the sun room and followed me in. Rather than sitting in my regular chair or leaning against one side of the couch, I sat on the foot stool, which brought the tension up a notch, because everyone now knew there was going to be a public spanking.

I would have been nervous, even if I had done nothing wrong that I could remember!

"I’m sorry if I embarrassed you while we were out, Charles Fletcher

You said sorry and then you embarrassed him even more. Of course, he was not as embarrassed as Cal and Huck were going to be. Poor little kiddos, I always feel even more sorry for the little ones when they get it.

These 'public' spankings are uncommon, aren't they? And only for younger children? Knowing that all the other kids know you've been spanked is bad enough, but actually having it happen in front of them...


Great story, all in all. And I would add to the story what you said in this thread. Those details make the stories better, as they make readers care more about the characters.

Thanks for the input, DB. I'll consider revising this story.

No, public spankings are not only for the younger kids, but they are VERY rare. While a spanking might be witnessed by a victim or a partner in crime mischief, I think spankings should generally be private. The only ironclad exception to that is ritual switchings, which are only given for breaking the law (and even then, a boy Van's age would probably be excepted that).

I have little direct experience with Charlie at Military School, but I do have one story that I'll try to get around to telling sometime soon. Because of Charlie's age, and because he is doing so well, trying so hard, and is overall very well-behaved, he's not mentioned very much. I do have several stories in which he's either the red-bottomed star or plays a significant part, and I'll try to get around to them soon (but keep in mind, I have hundreds of stories to tell, and more happening every month, so 'soon' might be very subjective).

Jack wrote:The only ironclad exception to that is ritual switchings, which are only given for breaking the law

Oh, boy, that looks as something to be avoided at all costs.

(but keep in mind, I have hundreds of stories to tell, and more happening every month, so 'soon' might be very subjective).

Yes, it seems any time I read a story about a new character (new to me, I mean) I want to read more about him. That's a praise for the strength of your writing.

Do you actually have a list of stories to write or just write about whatever incident you suddenly feel like writing up?

I try to make notes about incidents that I think might make a good story. I try to keep a list of stories on which I should work soon, which are mostly things that have happened recently, continuations to stories I've already written, or more stories with favorite characters. However, for the most part, I write what I feel like writing, since that seems to result in the best stories and the most work.