sobriety coin, “To thine own self be true!”
I pleaded with him once again. “I’m telling
the truth Mr. Howard. I swear.”
With a furrowed brow he explained that he was
going to have to do something he didn’t like. That it was for my
own good.
Like a Pentecostal minister, he threw up his
hands. “Spare the rod and spoil the child says the
Lord!”
Grabbing the wooden chair from under the desk,
he placed it in the center of the room. He then sat down. The old
wood making a creaking-cracking sound. He commanded me to come over
to him.
I knew too well where this was going. Mr.
Howard ordered me to take down my pants and bend over his lap.
Remembering what Grandpa Bob used to do to me, I started to panic.
I could feel my lungs collapsing. My chest felt crushed like a
gorilla was sitting on me.
Grabbing my arm, Mr. Howard again told me to
take down my pants. When I didn't respond he shook me. With my
hands shaking, I undid my belt then unzipped my pants. I pulled
them down to my ankles. Yanking me onto his lap, Mr. Howard began
spanking me with an open hand.
“ Thou shalt not lie! Thou shalt
not lie!” He repeated as he spanked me harder and
harder.
Then the strangest thing happened. See, I was
expecting the belt like all the times before. This was nothing.
This was a joke! It was almost comical to me. Spanking me a few
more times for effect, he stopped. Standing up, he slid the chair
back under the desk. I stood tall in the middle of the room with a
look that I am sure said, "You can't hurt me, asshole."
Disheveled, Mr. Howard combed his messy hair
with this slender fingers.
"I hope by dinner you change your attitude and
tell the truth." He commanded as he left the room.
I was once again alone like a prisoner in
solitary confinement. Curling myself up in a ball I thought about
being back in Broad Ripple, walking along the railroad
tracks.
After a long nap I woke to a growling stomach
that smelled Elise's cooking, I was starving! If I wanted to eat I
was going to have to admit to something I didn’t do.
Walking down the back staircase that led to
the kitchen I saw everyone sitting at the table. Before I had a
chance to sit down, Mr. Howard confronted me.
“ What do you have to say for
yourself, Jack?”
Feeling defeated, I looked slowly around the
room at my accusers. They were waiting for me to tell them what
they wanted to hear. I am sure Alex was wondering how far was I was
going to push it before I gave in.
I silently weighing all of my options. I could
stand my ground and fight this all the way, knowing full well I was
right. But what good would it do? It would only make my time at the
Howards' harder. I decided to suck it up and make my life
easier.
My throat was dry as I tried to swallow my
pride. "I made the sign and put it in the window," I
confessed.
Looking at everyone at the table, I
apologized. But every fiber in my body wanted to reach across the
table and choke the life out of Alex.
Elise smiled as Mr. Howard's face went soft
with relief. In unison, they said, “We forgive you,
Jack!”
I looked at Alex with vengeance in my eyes.
The smirk he wore made me want to scratch his eyes out.
Taking a seat at the table next to Elise I
began to eat. I imagined Alex dancing and celebrating a win of
wills. All I could think was, "I may have lost the battle, but I am
not going to lose the war."
For my remaining time at the Howards' I tried
to stay away from Alex as much possible. When he would enter a room
I would quickly exit. I had to stay on my toes to keep out of
trouble. It was hard though, always being on guard.
I did well until one day, weeks later when I
let my guard down. Some friends from school came over to play in
the Howards' treehouse. The first thing Alex suggested was a game
of Spin the Bottle. None of other kids knew what it was, so Alex
explained the rules.
"The bottle gets spun and whoever the top of
the bottle lands on has to say either Truth or Dare."
I had no idea
I pleaded with him once again. “I’m telling
the truth Mr. Howard. I swear.”
With a furrowed brow he explained that he was
going to have to do something he didn’t like. That it was for my
own good.
Like a Pentecostal minister, he threw up his
hands. “Spare the rod and spoil the child says the
Lord!”
Grabbing the wooden chair from under the desk,
he placed it in the center of the room. He then sat down. The old
wood making a creaking-cracking sound. He commanded me to come over
to him.
I knew too well where this was going. Mr.
Howard ordered me to take down my pants and bend over his lap.
Remembering what Grandpa Bob used to do to me, I started to panic.
I could feel my lungs collapsing. My chest felt crushed like a
gorilla was sitting on me.
Grabbing my arm, Mr. Howard again told me to
take down my pants. When I didn't respond he shook me. With my
hands shaking, I undid my belt then unzipped my pants. I pulled
them down to my ankles. Yanking me onto his lap, Mr. Howard began
spanking me with an open hand.
“ Thou shalt not lie! Thou shalt
not lie!” He repeated as he spanked me harder and
harder.
Then the strangest thing happened. See, I was
expecting the belt like all the times before. This was nothing.
This was a joke! It was almost comical to me. Spanking me a few
more times for effect, he stopped. Standing up, he slid the chair
back under the desk. I stood tall in the middle of the room with a
look that I am sure said, "You can't hurt me, asshole."
Disheveled, Mr. Howard combed his messy hair
with this slender fingers.
"I hope by dinner you change your attitude and
tell the truth." He commanded as he left the room.
I was once again alone like a prisoner in
solitary confinement. Curling myself up in a ball I thought about
being back in Broad Ripple, walking along the railroad
tracks.
After a long nap I woke to a growling stomach
that smelled Elise's cooking, I was starving! If I wanted to eat I
was going to have to admit to something I didn’t do.
Walking down the back staircase that led to
the kitchen I saw everyone sitting at the table. Before I had a
chance to sit down, Mr. Howard confronted me.
“ What do you have to say for
yourself, Jack?”
Feeling defeated, I looked slowly around the
room at my accusers. They were waiting for me to tell them what
they wanted to hear. I am sure Alex was wondering how far was I was
going to push it before I gave in.
I silently weighing all of my options. I could
stand my ground and fight this all the way, knowing full well I was
right. But what good would it do? It would only make my time at the
Howards' harder. I decided to suck it up and make my life
easier.
My throat was dry as I tried to swallow my
pride. "I made the sign and put it in the window," I
confessed.
Looking at everyone at the table, I
apologized. But every fiber in my body wanted to reach across the
table and choke the life out of Alex.
Elise smiled as Mr. Howard's face went soft
with relief. In unison, they said, “We forgive you,
Jack!”
I looked at Alex with vengeance in my eyes.
The smirk he wore made me want to scratch his eyes out.
Taking a seat at the table next to Elise I
began to eat. I imagined Alex dancing and celebrating a win of
wills. All I could think was, "I may have lost the battle, but I am
not going to lose the war."
For my remaining time at the Howards' I tried
to stay away from Alex as much possible. When he would enter a room
I would quickly exit. I had to stay on my toes to keep out of
trouble. It was hard though, always being on guard.
I did well until one day, weeks later when I
let my guard down. Some friends from school came over to play in
the Howards' treehouse. The first thing Alex suggested was a game
of Spin the Bottle. None of other kids knew what it was, so Alex
explained the rules.
"The bottle gets spun and whoever the top of
the bottle lands on has to say either Truth or Dare."
I had no idea
Similar Books
