Back in the early 1950s, David and Cynthia had been friends from the time David and his parents had moved to be near neighbours of Cynthia and her parents, when he was eight years old. David was slightly older than Cynthia but only by a few months. After two years they lost touch when Cynthia had moved away to another part of town. Some years later when they were aged fourteen their respective schools merged and unbeknown to either of them they would be thrown together again. At the start of the new school year they arrived at school and entered the playground. John soon met up with his friends but Cynthia had only one friend. When they checked the class lists, they found themselves in the same class. Neither realised this until the whistle blew and classes had to line up before going into school. As they went to line up their eyes met but to John’s surprise Cynthia looked away. During the day he tried to make contact but she always avoided him and he couldn’t understand why. Finally, he plucked up courage to ask her.
“My mum says I have to keep away from boys,”
“But we used to be friends,” protested David.
“I know, but I have to do what mum says, you know how strict she is.” Replied Cynthia.
“Can’t you tell her I’m here?” said David.
“Alright.”
Several days later Cynthia still had said nothing although she did manage the odd smile. David could contain himself no longer.
“Have you asked your mum yet?”
“No, not yet.”
“Why not?”
“’Cause I haven’t.”
“Don’t leave it too long, I want to talk to you.” Said David.
It was in fact several weeks later that Cynthia finally asked her mum.
“What took you so long to ask her?” said David after he had found her in the playground during morning break.
Cynthia blushed.
“What are you hiding?” asked David.
“Nothing.”
“Yes you are, you’re blushing.” Said David.
“Promise you won’t tell anybody?” said Cynthia, seeming very edgy.
“I promise.”
“I’m shy.”
“Not of me?” said David
“Yes,” replied Cynthia.
“Why?” asked a puzzled David.
“Because I’m shy when it comes to boys.” Said Cynthia.
David took Cynthia’s hand.
“You don’t have to be shy of me, we’ve been friends,” assured David.
“I know, but it doesn’t make any difference,” replied Eileen, still feeling very uncomfortable.
They continued talking until the end of break and went into their next lesson. During the lesson David kept looking across the room at Cynthia, he was really starting to like her. Occasionally she smiled back at him. He felt that the ice was slowly beginning to melt. The next lesson was with their form mistress, Mrs Roxbrough. Nothing seemed to be amiss until the end of the lesson. Mrs Roxbrough dismissed the class but with a message at the end.
“David Ransome and Cynthia Reynolds, stay behind please.”
Both Cynthia’s and David’s heart skipped a beat; what had they done?
“Come here,” said Mrs Roxbrough after the class had gone. She was a young woman in her thirties, brown wavy hair and dressed in a dark green woollen suit.
Cynthia and David rose from their respective desks and walked slowly to Mrs Roxbrough’s desk. They were in their school uniform of navy blazer, white shirt or blouse, green and yellow striped tie and grey trousers or pleated skirt. Cynthia was wearing white socks up to below the knees and brown flat shoes.
“It has been reported to me that you two were seen holding hands during break time. You know that close fraternisation between boys and girls is strictly forbidden.”
David and Cynthia looked at one another in shock. It hadn’t even occurred to them that they had been doing it for any length of time.
“We didn’t realise that we were doing it, we were too busy talking. If it’s anybody’s fault it’s mine,” said David trying to be chivalrous.
“That is no excuse,” replied Mrs Roxbrough firmly.
“But we didn’t mean to break any rules Miss, honestly,” protested David.
Mrs Roxbrough looked sympathetically at the two of them; they looked and sounded so innocent.
“Be that as it may, you have broken the rules and you must be punished. Have you anything further to say before I carry it out?” said Mrs Roxbrough, reaching into her desk drawer for her plimsoll.
Both Cynthia and David shook their heads. Cynthia’s face was now drained; she had never had the slipper before.
“David, wait outside please,” said Mrs Roxbrough, who then stood up.
Head bowed, David left the room and stood outside in the corridor. Fortunately, the corridor was deserted as everyone had gone to lunch and were not allowed in the building during the lunch hour. He stood close to the door to listen to what was happening the other side.
“I’m sorry Cynthia, I’ve not had to punish you before but I have no choice. Bend over and touch your toes.”
Cynthia, with tears already in her eyes, bent over and almost touched her toes. Mrs Roxbrough gently moved Cynthia to her right to give more room to stand between her and the desk. Once she was satisfied that Cynthia was in the right position, she pulled her blazer back and raised the slipper.
Whaaappp!!
Cynthia jerked forward a little and gave an involuntary gasp. It didn’t hurt as much as she had expected.
Whaaappp!!
She remained silent and stared hard at the floor.
Whaaaaappp!!
This time she bent her knees slightly to absorb the sting as this one hurt more than the previous two.
“You may stand up now,” said Mrs Roxbrough.
Cynthia gratefully stood up.
“I would advise you to be more careful in future,” advised Mrs Roxbrough.
“Yes, thank you Miss,” replied Cynthia. The colour of her face had changed from white to red. She could feel her cheeks burning with embarrassment.
“Right, off you go, and tell David to come in.”
“Yes Miss.”
Cynthia walked to the door in a state of relief. She went out, leaving the door ajar, into the corridor. David made to go in.
“Wait for me,” he whispered as he passed Cynthia. She gave him a shy looking smile.
“Come here,” ordered Mrs Roxbrough, standing menacingly with slipper in hand.
David was not unduly worried as he saw how calm Cynthia was. He had also had the slipper on several occasions from male teachers and was confident that a woman couldn’t slipper as hard. He went to stand in front of Mrs Roxbrough.
“This is not the sort of behaviour I expect from one of the boys in my class. I do not expect to have to do this again, is that clear?”
“Yes, sorry Miss.”
“Very well, bend over and touch your toes.”
David stepped back and bent over. Mrs Roxbrough walked round, pulled back David’s blazer and took aim.
“Whaaaapppp!!!
Like Cynthia, David lurched forward under the force of the blow.
“Owch.”
Whaaaaappppp!!
“Ooooww.”
Whhhhaaaapppp!!
“Ooooch.”
“Now stand up.” Ordered Mrs Roxbrough.
David stood up and rubbed his bottom.
“You may go. I don’t expect to see you again for this sort of thing.”
“Yes Miss.”
David turned, left and found Cynthia outside waiting for him. He had half expected to find that she had gone.
“Are you alright?” enquired Cynthia anxiously. “It sounded as if you got it harder than me.”
“I think I did, she still can’t slipper as hard as the men,” said David, giving his bottom a rub.
“D’you think we should go, we don’t want to get caught in here, you know it’s out of bounds at dinner break,” said Cynthia nervously.
“Right,” said David starting to walk down the corridor. “How’s your bum feeling?”
“Can’t feel anything now, and please don’t use that word, it’s vulgar,” said Cynthia.
“Oh, sorry Miss,” replied David in a mocking tone.
“Please don’t be sarcastic,” replied Cynthia, getting a little huffy.
“Sorry Cynthia, didn’t mean to offend.”
“That’s ok.”
David suddenly realised that he was dealing with a totally different girl to the one he knew years earlier.
They stepped out into the playground and went off to join their respective friends. They got the usual questions, like what happened, did it hurt and how many. David thought the slippering well worth it in exchange for befriending Cynthia again. Day by day, he was getting more and more besotted with her to the extent that was all he could think about. Cynthia also started to feel some emotion and slowly warmed to her rediscovered friend. That didn’t take long to get David into trouble into trouble again. One afternoon there was a particularly boring history lesson with Mr Bellamy. David gazed at Cynthia and his mind was on anything but history. Suddenly there was an almighty crash on his desk. David came to his senses to see Mrs Bellamy towering over him with cane in hand which he had just crashed down on the desk.
“What was I saying boy?” growled Mr Bellamy, with his face almost into David’s.
“Um, don’t know sir.”
“Of course you don’t know, you’ve been daydreaming for the last ten minutes.”
“Sorry sir.”
“Oh no, sorry isn’t enough. Get to the front of the class and bend over.”
Mr Bellamy strode to the front of the class, bent the cane in his hands and waited.
David slowly rose from his seat and made his way, head bowed to the front and bent over, his backside facing the class. Cynthia sat and watched, biting her lip; she knew that indirectly she was the cause of David’s pending discomfort.
Thwaacckk!!
Thwaacckk!!
Thwaaacckk!!
Cynthia winced each time the cane connected.
“Get back to your seat boy, and pay attention.”
David walked stiffly back to his seat, trying not to let anyone see how much it had hurt, and gingerly sat down. Cynthia gave a worried glance in his direction. After the lesson was over the class made their way to the next lesson. Cynthia pushed her way through and grabbed David by the arm.
“Are you alright, did it hurt?”
“Yeah, I’m ok, and it did flippin’ well hurt.”
“Poor you,” said Cynthia sympathetically.
“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be ok.”
After school, the two met up.
“Would you walk a little way with me?” asked Cynthia nervously.
“Course I will,” replied David.
“My mum says I have to keep away from boys,”
“But we used to be friends,” protested David.
“I know, but I have to do what mum says, you know how strict she is.” Replied Cynthia.
“Can’t you tell her I’m here?” said David.
“Alright.”
Several days later Cynthia still had said nothing although she did manage the odd smile. David could contain himself no longer.
“Have you asked your mum yet?”
“No, not yet.”
“Why not?”
“’Cause I haven’t.”
“Don’t leave it too long, I want to talk to you.” Said David.
It was in fact several weeks later that Cynthia finally asked her mum.
“What took you so long to ask her?” said David after he had found her in the playground during morning break.
Cynthia blushed.
“What are you hiding?” asked David.
“Nothing.”
“Yes you are, you’re blushing.” Said David.
“Promise you won’t tell anybody?” said Cynthia, seeming very edgy.
“I promise.”
“I’m shy.”
“Not of me?” said David
“Yes,” replied Cynthia.
“Why?” asked a puzzled David.
“Because I’m shy when it comes to boys.” Said Cynthia.
David took Cynthia’s hand.
“You don’t have to be shy of me, we’ve been friends,” assured David.
“I know, but it doesn’t make any difference,” replied Eileen, still feeling very uncomfortable.
They continued talking until the end of break and went into their next lesson. During the lesson David kept looking across the room at Cynthia, he was really starting to like her. Occasionally she smiled back at him. He felt that the ice was slowly beginning to melt. The next lesson was with their form mistress, Mrs Roxbrough. Nothing seemed to be amiss until the end of the lesson. Mrs Roxbrough dismissed the class but with a message at the end.
“David Ransome and Cynthia Reynolds, stay behind please.”
Both Cynthia’s and David’s heart skipped a beat; what had they done?
“Come here,” said Mrs Roxbrough after the class had gone. She was a young woman in her thirties, brown wavy hair and dressed in a dark green woollen suit.
Cynthia and David rose from their respective desks and walked slowly to Mrs Roxbrough’s desk. They were in their school uniform of navy blazer, white shirt or blouse, green and yellow striped tie and grey trousers or pleated skirt. Cynthia was wearing white socks up to below the knees and brown flat shoes.
“It has been reported to me that you two were seen holding hands during break time. You know that close fraternisation between boys and girls is strictly forbidden.”
David and Cynthia looked at one another in shock. It hadn’t even occurred to them that they had been doing it for any length of time.
“We didn’t realise that we were doing it, we were too busy talking. If it’s anybody’s fault it’s mine,” said David trying to be chivalrous.
“That is no excuse,” replied Mrs Roxbrough firmly.
“But we didn’t mean to break any rules Miss, honestly,” protested David.
Mrs Roxbrough looked sympathetically at the two of them; they looked and sounded so innocent.
“Be that as it may, you have broken the rules and you must be punished. Have you anything further to say before I carry it out?” said Mrs Roxbrough, reaching into her desk drawer for her plimsoll.
Both Cynthia and David shook their heads. Cynthia’s face was now drained; she had never had the slipper before.
“David, wait outside please,” said Mrs Roxbrough, who then stood up.
Head bowed, David left the room and stood outside in the corridor. Fortunately, the corridor was deserted as everyone had gone to lunch and were not allowed in the building during the lunch hour. He stood close to the door to listen to what was happening the other side.
“I’m sorry Cynthia, I’ve not had to punish you before but I have no choice. Bend over and touch your toes.”
Cynthia, with tears already in her eyes, bent over and almost touched her toes. Mrs Roxbrough gently moved Cynthia to her right to give more room to stand between her and the desk. Once she was satisfied that Cynthia was in the right position, she pulled her blazer back and raised the slipper.
Whaaappp!!
Cynthia jerked forward a little and gave an involuntary gasp. It didn’t hurt as much as she had expected.
Whaaappp!!
She remained silent and stared hard at the floor.
Whaaaaappp!!
This time she bent her knees slightly to absorb the sting as this one hurt more than the previous two.
“You may stand up now,” said Mrs Roxbrough.
Cynthia gratefully stood up.
“I would advise you to be more careful in future,” advised Mrs Roxbrough.
“Yes, thank you Miss,” replied Cynthia. The colour of her face had changed from white to red. She could feel her cheeks burning with embarrassment.
“Right, off you go, and tell David to come in.”
“Yes Miss.”
Cynthia walked to the door in a state of relief. She went out, leaving the door ajar, into the corridor. David made to go in.
“Wait for me,” he whispered as he passed Cynthia. She gave him a shy looking smile.
“Come here,” ordered Mrs Roxbrough, standing menacingly with slipper in hand.
David was not unduly worried as he saw how calm Cynthia was. He had also had the slipper on several occasions from male teachers and was confident that a woman couldn’t slipper as hard. He went to stand in front of Mrs Roxbrough.
“This is not the sort of behaviour I expect from one of the boys in my class. I do not expect to have to do this again, is that clear?”
“Yes, sorry Miss.”
“Very well, bend over and touch your toes.”
David stepped back and bent over. Mrs Roxbrough walked round, pulled back David’s blazer and took aim.
“Whaaaapppp!!!
Like Cynthia, David lurched forward under the force of the blow.
“Owch.”
Whaaaaappppp!!
“Ooooww.”
Whhhhaaaapppp!!
“Ooooch.”
“Now stand up.” Ordered Mrs Roxbrough.
David stood up and rubbed his bottom.
“You may go. I don’t expect to see you again for this sort of thing.”
“Yes Miss.”
David turned, left and found Cynthia outside waiting for him. He had half expected to find that she had gone.
“Are you alright?” enquired Cynthia anxiously. “It sounded as if you got it harder than me.”
“I think I did, she still can’t slipper as hard as the men,” said David, giving his bottom a rub.
“D’you think we should go, we don’t want to get caught in here, you know it’s out of bounds at dinner break,” said Cynthia nervously.
“Right,” said David starting to walk down the corridor. “How’s your bum feeling?”
“Can’t feel anything now, and please don’t use that word, it’s vulgar,” said Cynthia.
“Oh, sorry Miss,” replied David in a mocking tone.
“Please don’t be sarcastic,” replied Cynthia, getting a little huffy.
“Sorry Cynthia, didn’t mean to offend.”
“That’s ok.”
David suddenly realised that he was dealing with a totally different girl to the one he knew years earlier.
They stepped out into the playground and went off to join their respective friends. They got the usual questions, like what happened, did it hurt and how many. David thought the slippering well worth it in exchange for befriending Cynthia again. Day by day, he was getting more and more besotted with her to the extent that was all he could think about. Cynthia also started to feel some emotion and slowly warmed to her rediscovered friend. That didn’t take long to get David into trouble into trouble again. One afternoon there was a particularly boring history lesson with Mr Bellamy. David gazed at Cynthia and his mind was on anything but history. Suddenly there was an almighty crash on his desk. David came to his senses to see Mrs Bellamy towering over him with cane in hand which he had just crashed down on the desk.
“What was I saying boy?” growled Mr Bellamy, with his face almost into David’s.
“Um, don’t know sir.”
“Of course you don’t know, you’ve been daydreaming for the last ten minutes.”
“Sorry sir.”
“Oh no, sorry isn’t enough. Get to the front of the class and bend over.”
Mr Bellamy strode to the front of the class, bent the cane in his hands and waited.
David slowly rose from his seat and made his way, head bowed to the front and bent over, his backside facing the class. Cynthia sat and watched, biting her lip; she knew that indirectly she was the cause of David’s pending discomfort.
Thwaacckk!!
Thwaacckk!!
Thwaaacckk!!
Cynthia winced each time the cane connected.
“Get back to your seat boy, and pay attention.”
David walked stiffly back to his seat, trying not to let anyone see how much it had hurt, and gingerly sat down. Cynthia gave a worried glance in his direction. After the lesson was over the class made their way to the next lesson. Cynthia pushed her way through and grabbed David by the arm.
“Are you alright, did it hurt?”
“Yeah, I’m ok, and it did flippin’ well hurt.”
“Poor you,” said Cynthia sympathetically.
“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be ok.”
After school, the two met up.
“Would you walk a little way with me?” asked Cynthia nervously.
“Course I will,” replied David.
Statistics: Posted by lisamum10 — Thu Jul 28, 2016 7:42 am