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Partially based on true events, and I wanted to give it a happy ending. Really hope you enjoy it! ", "description_bbcode_parsed": "This is one of my older series of stories. Partially based on true events, and I wanted to give it a happy ending. Really hope you enjoy it! ", "writing": "Kevin was waiting outside Audie’s classroom when they broke for lunch. \"I gave Miss Minton the note, Audie,\" he explained at once. \"She took it and didn’t ask anything. I didn’t tell her I got spanked. OK?\"\n\n\"Good,\" Audie replied with a curt nod of his head. That incident was over. \"Come, Kevin, I’ve got somebody I want you to meet.\" He hoped. Maybe Greg had met somebody else on the bus and now wanted nothing to do with a bastard.\n\n\"Meet?\" Kevin asked. This was something new. The two made it to the cafeteria. Today was spaghetti Os and garlic bread, or as Kevin had it, \"basgetti\". Audie decided to forgo the English lesson for today. It was enough that Kevin liked it. Audie paid for the two of them out of the cigar box emergency fund, hoping that their mother would make it home in time to give them dinner money. The two filled their trays and Audie led his brother to the same out-of-the-way corner he had used the day before. The table was empty. Audie’s heart sank. Well, what had he told his brother? If there’s nothing you can do about it, you have to live with it. They sat down across from each other like they always did.\n\n\"Who are we going to meet, Audie?\" Kevin asked innocently. \"I don’t see anybody special.\" The question grabbed Audie on the raw, rubbing in the older boy’s bitter disappointment.\n\n\"Nobody, I guess,\" Audie spat.\n\nKevin immediately looked up. \"What’s wrong, Audie?\" He asked. \"Did I do something?\"\n\nAudie looked at his brother and immediately drew a mask over his emotions. \"No, Kevie,\" he managed to get out in a half-normal voice. \"You did nothing wrong.\"\n\nKevin immediately picked up on the way Audie had accented the \"you\". \"Who did, then?\" he asked, worried because his brother was upset again and not knowing why.\n\n\"Somebody I met yesterday, Kevie,\" Audie answered. \"Never mind. it’s over now.\" Audie tried to push his disappointment out of his mind so he could eat in peace. He hung his head and stared at the food, trying to blot out the world he was finding harder and harder to cope with.\n\n\"Ah, there you are,\" said a familiar voice. \"How goes it?\"\n\nAudie jerked up his head. \"Greg!\" he yelled and a huge grin broke out on his face.\n\n\"What?\" Greg asked, aware that the greeting held some secret meaning.\n\n\"Where have you been?\" Audie asked, immediately scooting over to give Greg room to sit.\n\n\"What do you mean?\" Greg asked, shaking his tray to suggest the answer. \"In line, of course. It’s out the door in case you hadn’t noticed.\" Audie hadn’t. He looked at the door and saw all the other kids lined up. He must have gotten out a minute or two early. Suddenly the world wasn’t so mean any more.\n\nAudie turned his attention back to Greg. \"Greg,\" he said formally, \"I’d like you to meet my brother, Kevin. Kevie, this is my new friend, Greg.\"\n\nGreg smiled and held out his hand. \"Glad to meet ya,\" he said. Kevin managed to overcome his natural shyness at the novel situation. He had never met one of his brother’s friends before. It was obvious why. He took the strange boy’s hand and shook. He didn’t stand up, unaware that that was part of the ritual. Greg didn’t seem to notice. He sat down next to Audie where the place had been made for him. \"You didn’t say you had a brother,\" he remarked.\n\n\"Guess we didn’t get around to it,\" Audie responded, rather amazed that they hadn’t.\n\nGreg turned to Kevin. \"What grade you in, Kevin - or is it Kevie?\"\n\n\"Kevin,\" Kevie responded immediately, sensing, somehow, that \"Kevie\" was something special between him and his brother. \"I’m in kinneygarden.\"\n\n\"Kindergarden,\" Audie corrected his brother, getting it almost right.\n\n\"Whatever,\" Kevin responded, using a word he had learned on television to express his displeasure at being corrected in public like that.\n\nGreg picked up on the tension and tried to diffuse it immediately. \"No matter,\" he assured the little one. \"What’s this glop?\" he asked next, staring at his plate.\n\n\"Basgetti ohs,\" Kevin responded immediately with a giggle at Greg’s description.\n\nAudie gave his own giggle at Kevin’s. \"Spaghetti Os,\" he explained to Greg, trying not to irritate his little brother by correcting him yet again, but that gaff couldn’t stand. Greg might think that was the correct name and blurt it out someday. \"Cheerios in spaghetti sauce.\"\n\n\"Boy, the food here is sure weird,\" Greg replied. \"It’s going to take some getting used to.\" He took a forkful. \"Ummmm, not bad, though.\"\n\n\"Greg’s from Omaha,\" Audie explained to his brother.\n\n\"Where’s Omaha?\" Audie asked next.\n\nAudie glanced at Greg, smiled, and turned back to Kevin. \"Someplace far away,\" he replied, hinting that Kevin was too young for a fuller answer, but really because Audie wasn’t too sure himself.\n\n\"We just moved here,\" Greg continued. \"Yesterday was my first day.\"\n\n\"We move a lot, too,\" Kevin replied with his mouth full of basghetti.\n\n\"You do?\" Greg asked Audie.\n\n\"Just around town, Greg,\" Audie answered. \"Not from far away, like you.\" Greg filed that one in the bottom drawer for discussion later.\n\n\"Hey, that reminds me,\" Greg said, changing the subject, \"I told my parents about you and they want to meet you. You wanna come to my place for dinner tomorrow? We won’t have tacos or spaghetti rings, but my mom’s a good cook. You’ll like it, I’m sure.\"\n\nAudie was surprised. Nobody had ever asked him to dinner before. He wondered if Greg had told his folks all about Audie. Most parents wouldn’t let their kids even play with Audie, let alone invite the bastard to dinner. Audie was about to jump at the chance and say yes at once. Then he remembered Kevin. His face clouded up. \"I’m sorry, Greg,\" he responded sadly, \"I’d love to, but I have to cook dinner for Kevin here.\"\n\nFor the first time ever, Kevin sensed that his brother didn’t want him around. He felt sad at that, but understood. His brother had a friend. Kevin felt in the way.\n\n\"Huh?\" Greg asked. \"Doesn’t your mother cook for you? You said you ate at home.\"\n\nAudie was beginning to learn that it was useless to hold anything back. He so hated being different, but, as he had told his brother, you just had to live with it sometimes. \"No, Greg,\" he replied calmly, resolved to the necessity of owning up to his differences. \"We eat at home. I cook. Mom works until really late.\" Please, Audie silently begged, don’t make him ask what she does!\n\n\"YOU cook!?\" Greg exclaimed. The idea was preposterous. A 10-year old in the kitchen alone? Greg’s mother wouldn’t allow that in a month of Sundays. The novelty of that ridiculous revelation blotted out the other anomaly in his new friend’s disclosure. He never asked what Audie’s mom did for a living.\n\n\"Yeah,\" Audie said with a grin. He was proud of his ability, never for a second associating cooking as women’s work. \"It’s not hard. All you gotta do is like eating!\"\n\n\"Wow! That’s something!\" The awe in Greg’s tone was unmistakable. Audie swelled with pride. It felt so good to be different and not have that condemned outright! Audie liked having a friend. But then reality settled in. Friends were nice, very nice, but he LOVED his brother, and, of course, Kevin came first. He would have to forgo the invite. Audie wouldn’t let his brother go hungry or fend for himself at Mc Donald’s. Audie’s huge grin dimmed. Greg, not even aware of it came to the rescue.\n\n\"Well, anyway, tomorrow, bring Kevin along. I’m sure Mom will say it’s OK. He doesn’t look like he eats much. Hah!\"\n\nAudie couldn’t believe his ears. Was THIS what it was like to have a friend? He liked it. He liked it. Just to relieve the delicious tension, Audie cracked a joke. \"Don’t be too sure of that, Greg. He’s a regular bottomless pit sometimes!\" If the food was good.\n\nKevin didn’t understand that it was a joke. All he got out of that conversation was that his brother was being invited to eat at his new friend’s and that he, Kevin, was being a problem. He spoke up. \"I won’t eat much!\" he exclaimed. \"I’d like to come. Can I, please.\"\n\nGreg laughed. \"Sure you can come, Tiger. Eat all you want, too. Mom likes kids to clean their plates!\" He turned to Audie, \"So, it’s settled then? Dinner at my place tomorrow? Your mom will say it’s OK, won’t she?\"\n\n\"Oh, yeah,\" Audie exclaimed, as excited as he had ever been in his life. \"We’ll leave her a note, just in case!\" The boys would almost certainly be home before their mother and she would never know. Or care.\n\nGreg so completely failed to understand that that he didn’t even try for an explanation. It was enough that his new friend was coming to meet his parents. That was a requirement at his house. If any boy refused to meet his folks, then they refused to let Greg and him be friends. \"Good! Then. Meet me at the bus stop tomorrow, you two and we’ll ride home together.\"\n\nUh-oh. Audie immediately sensed another problem. He looked up at Greg, alarmed. \"Uh,\" he stammered, \"how do we get home afterward, then?\" What if they couldn’t go on account of that?\n\nGreg laughed. \"Oh, no problem. My dad’ll drive you home.\"\n\nWhat a convenience having a car must be, thought Audie. He smiled a big one. \"Done!\" he exclaimed. They shook hands in an exaggerated ceremony. Audie was so happy. That lasted until the spelling test an hour later.\n\n\"OK, class,\" Mrs. Gumbil had said. \"time for your spelling quiz. Put away your books and take out a piece of paper.\" everybody groaned, but complied. Spelling books were slammed shut (everybody had been doing a last minute review - some for the first time, alas). It was then that Murphy the Lawgiver stepped in to kick Audie in the shins. Murphy can’t stand to have anybody happy. The spelling books were spiral-bound booklets that could be opened flat to the current page, all the better to memorize the words without having to hold the book open. The books were supposed to be closed with their covers shut for the test. However, the boy seated in front of Audie carelessly folded his the other way, leaving this week’s page open to view and stuffed it in the basket under his desk where Audie could see it. Audie did nothing of the sort, of course, concentrating on getting out the paper and writing his name at the top.\n\nMaking sure that all the desktops were clear, Mrs. Gumbil started in. \"OK, class, first word. ’Bizarre’. The girl was confused by her mother’s bizarre behavior. ’Bizarre’.\" She waited for the class to write it down.\n\nAudie concentrated on remembering the word. He never noticed the open book under the desk in front of him. Probably couldn’t have read it even if he did. Audie conjured up a picture of Kevin saying \"bizzer\" and that reminded him that it had one \"Z\" and two \"R’s\". He spelled it correctly.\n\nWaiting for a few seconds for the class to finish, Mrs. Gumbil went on to the next word, then the next. Audie concentrated on remembering Kevin’s voice and the letters just spelled themselves.\n\nFinally, they got to the last one. \"’Somersault’,\" Mrs. Gumbil said. \"The boy did a somersault on the lawn. ’Somersault.\" Audie squeezed his eyes shut. That was the hard one. He couldn’t remember Kevin that time, but he thought he remembered the spelling. He wrote the letters down on the page and stared at then intently. Did that look right?\n\nMrs. Gumbil had been walking around the room, proctoring the test as she spoke the words. She noticed Audie staring forward with such intensity. How amusing. Well, it was a hard word. Then she spotted something under the desk in front. What was that? An open book? And Audie staring at it with such an effort! Oh, too bad. And she had thought Audie was such a good student, too. \"Audie!\" she barked. The class dropped their pencils and stared in Audie’s direction. Mrs. Gumbil reached down and picked up the open book. Holding it up for the class to see she glared at poor Audie who hadn’t a clue to the disaster that was quickly overtaking him. \"Care to explain this, young man?\"\n\nAudie didn’t even know what it was. But Mrs. Gumbil was certainly mad at something. Audie shot her a look of fear. Mrs. Gumbil took that for a sure sign of guilt. \"What?\" Audie asked - a genuine question.\n\n\"Don’t try to pretend with me, young man,\" Mrs. Gumbil. \"You were staring at this book open to today’s page with all the words where you could see them. Don’t try to deny it, I saw you. Shame on you, Audie.\" Then she turned on the boy in front who was even more surprised. \"And you, too, Thomas Quiggly, helping Audie to cheat on a test. What, you two think I wouldn’t see?\"\n\nThe class let out a collective \"Ooooommmmmmm.\"\n\n\"No, no,\" both boys denied the whole plot.\n\n\"Let’s see, then,\" Mrs. Gumbil said, picking up Audie’s paper. Murphy laughed. Mrs. Gumbil read Audie’s work. \"Just as I suspected, Audie. These are all spelled correctly, even ’somersault’. Both of you see me after class!\" She grabbed Tom’s paper, too, and, whipping out her red pen, marked both with a big \"F - Caught Cheating!\" and kept them. \"the rest of you, hand your papers to the front. Quickly, now.\"\n\nTom turned to Audie and snarled at him. \"Bastard!\" he said just loud enough for Audie to hear.\n\n\"But, I didn’t, I didn’t,\" Audie protested.\n\n\"Bastard!\" Tom repeated, louder.\n\n\"Quiet, you two,\" Mrs. Gumbil ordered.\n\nAudie sat back in his chair, stunned. From the top of the mountain to the very pit below in one ruinous avalanche. Audie knew he was totally innocent, but he was smart enough to realize that nobody else could possibly think so given the circumstances. All that time with Kevin and all just to get him in trouble. Bad trouble. Why couldn’t he have put a second Z in bizarre, or screwed up somersault? Why this time, off all tests, did he have to get a perfect score? This was sooooo unfair!\n\nAudie didn’t remember the rest of the day. All he could think of was Mrs. Gumbil saying \"See me after class.\" Finally the bell rang and the rest of the kids did their mad scramble to get out the door. Audie almost bolted, too, but then realized that they would only come and get him and the catastrophe he so dreaded would surely come to pass. He trudged up to the teacher’s desk with Thomas right behind.\n\n\"Bastard!\" Tom whispered behind his back. \"Bastard! You’re gonna get yours, just you wait and see!\"\n\nAudie fought back the tears. He couldn’t handle this! This was so unfair. Audie had done nothing to merit this, disgraced by his teacher and loathed by his classmate for nothing. Nothing!\n\n\"Well, you two,\" Mrs. Gumbil started right in as soon as the classroom was cleared and the two miscreants were within earshot. \"What do you have to say for yourselves?\"\n\n\"It’s all this creep’s fault, Mrs. Gumbil,\" Thomas started in. Mrs. Gumbil put a stop to that one at once.\n\n\"Oh, no it’s not, Thomas,\" she admonished the angry boy. \"It was your spelling book I saw under your desk. It had your name on it.\"\n\n\"He must have opened it!\" Thomas insisted.\n\nAudie got hopping mad at that. \"I did nothing of the sort!\" he yelled.\n\n\"Quiet, you two,\" Mrs. Gumbil barked. \"I’ve been a teacher long enough to know cheating when I see it. Audie, you were looking at Tom’s book and Tom, you let him. Say no more!\"\n\nAudie couldn’t let that go unchallenged. He was in enough hot water already, he figured a little bit more wouldn’t be much worse. He stood up at attention. \"Mrs. Gumbil, Ma’am.\" he said as politely as he could. \"May I say something, please?\"\n\nMrs. Gumbil was not predisposed to grant the request, but Audie had been such a good student do far, and he had such a miserable expression on his face that she just couldn’t say no. \"Make it quick,\" she allowed.\n\nAudie tried to comply. \"Mrs. Gumbil, I know what it looks like. I can’t do anything about that, but I swear to you that I didn’t know that book was there. I was staring at my paper. Tom here must have turned his book inside out without realizing it. He wasn’t trying to help me cheat.\"\n\nThomas interrupted Audie’s speech. \"Yeah,\" he sneered. \"like I would help that little bastard!\"\n\n\"Thomas!\" Mrs. Gumbil yelled, startled, \"language!\" That outburst was the final straw. Mrs. Gumbil was no longer willing to listen to excuses from these two impolite brats, brushing Audie with Tom’s tar. \"OK, both of you will remain here for a half hour. You will open your spelling books to the appendix at the back. You will mark the first 50 words there and study them. One week from today you will stay after class again and be tested on those 50 words. Any that you miss will be so marked and you will stay after school the next day and the next and the next until you can spell all fifty correctly, even if it takes the rest of the year.\"\n\nAudie gasped. He couldn’t afford the time. \"But, but,\" he exclaimed, without thinking. \"I am needed at home, I can’t...\"\n\n\"Can it, Mister!\" Mrs. Gumbil shut him up. \"We’ll see about that.\" She took out a piece of paper and started writing. Audie’s heart failed him. It looked like a note.\n\nMrs. Gumbil finished writing. She reached in her desk drawer and took out an envelope. Folding the letter to fit she inserted it in the envelope and sealed it. She looked up at Audie sternly and handed him the letter. \"This note will explain to your parents why you are late getting home. You can explain your story to them, see if they believe it. They are to sign the back and you will bring it to me tomorrow, understand?\"\n\nAudie was crushed. But there was nothing for it. He took the envelope in his hand. \"Yes, Ma’am,\" he replied, his eyes on the floor.\n\n\"Alright, both of you to your desks and start studying. You have 30 minutes. Move.\"\n\nThe boys trudged back to their seats. Thomas sneered at Audie. Oh, Thomas,\" Mrs. Gimbel spoke up. \"Before you go be sure to stop by my desk and get your note, too.\" Tom gasped. Audie didn’t gloat. There was nothing to gloat over.\n\nForty-five minutes later Audie unlocked the front door of their apartment and wearily stepped inside. He had just closed the door and flipped the deabolt when his brother rushed him, almost knocking him to the floor. Kevin grabbed Audie’s legs and squeezed with all his strength. \"Audie, Audie,\" he cried. \"Where have you been? It’s after 4. You should have been home long ago. I was so scared.\"\n\nFor a second, Audie was sorry he had taught Kevin to tell time, but, no, that was a necessary skill. Kevin had to know how to do that, come what may. Audie pried his brother away from the strangle hold he had on Audie’s legs. Kevin looked up at his brother’s face just to assure himself that Audie was truly home. Audie saw that the little guy had been crying. Damn it all! It wasn’t just Audie that suffered from this gross miscarriage of justice. \"I had to stay after school, Kevie. I’m so sorry. Come, sit down I’ll tell you all about it.\"\n\n\"You brought a note home from school?, Audie?\" Kevin had asked when Audie was through explaining. \"You?\"\n\n\"Yes, me, Kevie,\" Audie spat out, \"but it wasn’t my fault!\"\n\n\"But a note, Audie?\" Kevin was unsure just why his big brother made such a big deal out of that. Audie hadn’t even waited a day after Kevin’s note to get one of his own. Never-the-less, a big deal it was. \"Do I have to spank you now, Audie?\" What if...\n\nAudie snorted. \"No, squirt, you don’t. We’ll have to let Mom take care of that. She has to sign the note, anyway, you can’t write, and Mrs. Gumbil knows my handwriting by now.\"\n\nKevin wanted to help. \"Maybe I can, Audie, if you show me how. Like you show me how to read.\"\n\nAudie laughed. \"No, Kevie, thanks anyway, but you can’t learn to write in a couple of hours. It has to be Mom.\"\n\nKevin brightened. \"What about Greg? He can do it! He’s new and besides, he isn’t in ol’ Mrs. Gumball’s class, she won’t know his writing.\"\n\nAudie was appalled at how quickly Kevin picked up on how to cheat. Was that what he had taught his little brother by signing Kevin’s note himself. This would never do. Audie had to set a better example and he had to do it now. \"No, Kevin,\" he said firmly, \"I didn’t cheat on the spelling test and I won’t cheat now. We didn’t cheat when I signed your note because you were punished anyway. I just have to tell Mom and take my spanking from her.\" That his mom would punish him he had no doubt. Audie knew his mother had less time to deal with him than he had with Kevin. He was sure she’d spank him for a note. Besides, he wanted to get one anyway, so that Kevin would keep on thinking that notes were big deals. Never mind that Audie didn’t deserve it. Besides, his mother used her hand and that didn’t hurt much. Well... not like the belt anyway. \"I’ll probably have to sit up until she comes home. If you are awakened by me crying, you’ll know why. Just go back to sleep.\" Audie made a mental note to yell and cry when he was getting it so that Kevin would hear.\n\nKevin had a little boy’s ability to switch subjects when he deemed the old one to be closed. \"What’s for dinner?\"\n\nAudie didn’t want to cook after all this, but they had had fast food the night before. Mrs. Pace would have a kitten at two nights in a row. \"How about a fried egg sandwich?\" he suggested. That was easy and they didn’t have to go to the store for that. There was still enough lettuce left over for a salad each and some for the sandwich.\n\n\"OK, I guess,\" Kevin answered without enthusiasm. He had been hoping for Mc Donald’s for once. How he hated Mrs. Pace!\n\nAudie fried a slice of bacon, a slice of onion and an egg each and put them on bread with mayonnaise and mustard (not too much of that on Kevin’s) and a slice of lettuce. As a sop to Kevin he located their last can of corn in the cupboard and heated that with butter for the vegetable. What with a salad and milk it wasn’t a bad meal he thought. Audie didn’t know about the Post-Mrs. Pace PC food police who would have fainted at the cholesterol to fat ratio.\n\nWhile they were washing the dishes, Audie watched as his brother became more and more agitated. By the time they had them all put away, Kevin was about to burst. Audie got his attention.\n\n\"OK, Kevie, out with it. What’s eating you now?\"\n\nKevin was amazed at how his big brother could read his mind. He had no idea how easy it was. \"Audie,\" he started in, getting really serious, \"Are we still going to get to go to Greg’s tomorrow? What if Mom punishes you by saying no?\"\n\nAudie jerked at the thought. \"NO!\" he shouted. \"I’m not going to stiff my first friend over a mistake like this. It’s unfair enough as it is already. We’re going. Don’t tell Mom anything about it, Kevin. We’re just going to leave her a note and go, like I told Greg. Got it?\"\n\nKevin was scared at the vehemence in Audie’s tone. He made certain that he wouldn’t tell his mother anything. He didn’t say much to her anyway.\n\n\"Oh, by the way,\" Audie continued, \"that reminds me. We are going to meet Greg’s parents tomorrow. I want to make sure you know what to go when you are introduced. We must be polite. We may be bastards, but that doesn’t mean we have to act like ones.\"\n\nAudie took one look at Kevin’s befuddled expression and instantly regretted giving that last vent to his frustrations. Too late. \"What do you mean act like bastards, Audie?\" Kevin asked. \"How are we supposed to act?\"\n\nA thought came to Audie’s rescue. He ignored the real explanation altogether. \"Let me show you, Kevin.\" he explained. \"Pretend that that chair is Greg’s father, OK? I’m Greg. Here’s what I say: ’Dad, I want you to meat Audie’s brother, Kevin. Kevin, this is my Dad.’ What do you do?\"\n\nKevin got it almost right, but Audie went over it again and again to make sure Kevin was at his best the next day. Audie was apprehensive enough at what Greg’s parents would say when they found out Kevin and Audie were for-real bastards. He wanted to make sure that they had made the best possible impression before that happened, to give Audie the best chance of keeping his friend. He made sure that Kevin would say \"Pleased to meet you, Sir,\" if Greg didn’t mention his last name (Audie and he hadn’t exchanged surnames yet, that being unnecessary in the fifth grade), and \"Pleased to meet you, Mr. X\" if that name was known by then. He then went over the whole thing again for Greg’s mother, making sure Kevin had the Ma’am or Mrs. X down pat as the case might be.\n\nThey had just finished that to Audie’s satisfaction when there was a disturbance at the door. It opened and their mother came in accompanied by a tall muscular man in a suit and tie. \"Just swell!\" Audie thought to himself. His mom picked that night of all times to bring the Uncle Jack home. Cripes! Murphy was kicking him when he was down. His mother led the Uncle Jack to the kitchen where the boys were sitting. The man’s face registered surprise at seeing the kids. They always did. His mother never mentioned them until the last possible moment in case it might give the Uncle Jack a case of second-thoughts. The important point was what registered after the surprise. A look of disgust was the worst. Then the Uncle Jack would leave and Audie would feel like he was a hunk of crap or something. Audie studied that man’s face. There was nothing beyond the initial surprise. The man wore no hat, and had a receding hairline that made him look something like Mr. Anderson, Greg’s teacher at school. His eyes were dark brown and the expression was eager, not repulsed. Good. He needed a shave, which made him look seedy. Well, that was par for the course in Uncle Jacks. His suit was wrinkled as if he had slept in it. Another PC buffoon who went in for natural fiber clothes rather than artificial ones that held their shape for more than a couple of hours. He didn’t have time for much else. His mother called for his attention.\n\n\"Audie,\" she said, \"I’d like you to say hello to your Uncle Jack. Jack, this is my son, Audie.\" Audie had just been going over this very situation over and over again with his brother. He didn’t think, he just acted out of habit. He held out his hand to the strange man.\n\n\"Pleased to meet you, Uncle Jack,\" he intoned.\n\nUncle Jack opened his eyes in surprise again. \"Well,\" he said, holding out his hand, \"what a polite young man! Pleased to meet you Audie,\" They shook. Uncle Jack’s hand was cold and clammy and he didn’t grasp firmly, but Audie couldn’t have cared less. This was all just a sham. He was most UNpleased to meet this Uncle Jack on this particular night.\n\n\"And this is my younger son, Kevin,\" his mother continued. Audie studied his little brother’s actions. If nothing else, it was an excellent dress rehearsal for tomorrow. Kevin stepped forward.\n\n\"Pleased to meet you, Uncle Jack,\" he said firmly and with confidence, taking his cue from Audie. If Audie said it, it must be right. He held out his hand.\n\n\"Pleased to meet you Calvin,\" Uncle Jack said and gave Kevin his dead fish handshake.\n\n\"It’s Kevin, Sir,\" Kevin corrected the man. Audie sighed in relief. Kevin had gotten it right. Tomorrow would be a snap after this.\n\nThe man laughed, nervously, \"Oh, sure, sure. Sorry, Son, Kevin. Pleased to meet you Kevin.\" The man eyed Audie’s mother as if to say, \"OK, that’s done with...\" It was probably just the meaning the look was intended to convey.\n\nAudie realized he was in a terrible jam. In no way could he put off the note business now. With an Uncle Jack actually in the house, there was no telling when his mother would be free again. He had to get the note signed and all the rest over now or never. Damn Murphy. He turned to Uncle Jack, trying to remember if you gave preference to the woman or the guest. Since this was an important guest, his choice was easy. \"Excuse, me, Uncle Jack,\" he said, \"but I need to talk to my mother for a second. I’m sorry for the intrusion.\"\n\nHis Mom’s angry look boded nothing good, but what could he do? Audie first turned to Kevin. \"Kevin,\" he commanded, \"go get the... note.\" He had almost called it \"that damned note,\" but caught himself just in time. Kevin flashed his eyes wide at the request. Audie was going to confess right away in front of Uncle Jack! He turned to the living room where the note was laying on the coffee table, more or less right where Kevin’s note had been the day before. Audie turned to his mother.\n\nHe really wanted to do this out of earshot of Uncle Jack, but Audie knew better that to separate Uncle Jack at this point. He might take the opportunity to bolt. Audie would just have to brave it through. \"Mom,\" he said reluctantly, \"I got in trouble at school today.\"\n\n\"Hah!\" said Uncle Jack and collapsed in a chair.\n\n\"What?\" his mom said, putting all the exasperation possible in her tone. Audie explained the whole incident, not editing a thing, taking as much time as he needed. To hell with Uncle Jack. The man just listened. He didn’t seem eager to leave. Good and bad. Audie was overburdened with conflict resolution. At the end he handed his mother the note. She ripped open the envelope with her thumbnail, took out the letter and read it.\n\n\"Audie,\" she said, gesturing with the note, \"this is just disgraceful, young man.\"\n\n\"But I didn’t do it!\" Audie protested, mainly for Uncle Jack’s benefit.\n\n\"Hah!\" said Uncle Jack again.\n\nHis mother narrowed her eyes at Audie. \"Son,\" she said, \"I have to take your teacher’s word for this. She was there. She saw what went on. She has no reason to lie.\"\n\n\"And I do, so that automatically makes me a liar,\" Audie thought to himself. He knew better than to argue at this point, however. Besides, he didn’t want to. For one thing he just wanted to get the whole thing over with ASAP. For another, there was Kevin to think about. His little brother needed to realize just how bad notes were and for Audie to try to get out of it would send the wrong message. Damn and damn. Audie hung his head.\n\n\"I’m sorry, Mom,\" he said.\n\n\"Well, let’s us just make sure of that, shall we? Stand up straight.\"\n\nAudie’s heart started racing. \"Ah, Mom,\" he said, glancing at Uncle Jack, \"Can’t we take are of this some other time?\"\n\n\"No, Audie,\" she answered. \"A boy needs to be punished as soon after the crime as possible. Let’s get this over with.\" She reached up and started to unbuckle Audie’s belt. Audie glanced at Uncle Jack and noticed that the man was certainly taking an interest in the proceedings. Audie became incensed at this. Who was this strange man to be a witness to Audie’s punishment?\n\nHis mother unbuckled his belt and started to unbutton his fly. Audie almost bolted, but another thought of his little brother changed his mind. He let his mother unzip his pants and pull them down to the floor. Uncle Jack moved his chair slightly to get a better view. Audie stared at the wall behind his mother trying to blot out all thought of what was happening. He felt his mother tugging at his underpants and then felt the cold air of the underheated apartment chill his bare skin as she pulled them down all the way, too. A second later she tugged his shirt up to his armpits and forced him over her lap.\n\nAudie squeezed his eyes shut as hard as he could, trying to blot out the experience if it was at all possible. His mother said something, but Audie had closed his ears, too. A second later a resounding SMACK sounded in the room. Kevin flinched as he saw his mother’s hand flatten Audie’s butt cheeks with a mighty spank.\n\nAudie didn’t hear the smack, but he felt the sting. A conflict arose immediately. On the one hand he wanted his little brother to think that Audie was paying the same price for bringing home a note as did Kevin. However, Audie knew that he wasn’t, really. His mom’s hand spank had stung, but Audie knew it was not nearly as bad as the belt he had given Kevin. He knew that he would have to fake a scream if Kevin was to believe his big brother was really being punished. However, there was Uncle Jack to consider. Audie resented being spanked in front of a stranger, especially bare naked, and he wanted to show the man he wasn’t a sissy and could take what he was getting without sounding like one. He dickered with his conscience long enough that the second spank landed before he could make a decision.\n\nSMACK! Again it stung, but not so bad he had to yell. He did tighten his butt-cheek muscles and flinch, though. He again debated with himself whether or not to yell. He couldn’t come to a decision and the third spank hit.\n\nSLAP! \"OW!\" Audie did yell, involuntarily. That spank had landed right on top of the previous one and hurt. Audie realized that that involuntary ouch precluded a louder yell later. That would surely sound as fake as it was. Audie screwed his eyes shut even tighter and waited.\n\nSMACK! Lower down, away from the other spanks. Audie remained silent, assuaging his embarrassment taking precedence over his brother’s lesson. So be it, he decided, his thought processes dulled by the sting in his rump.\n\nSLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! Even those rapid-fire spanks didn’t sting enough to force a yell and now Audie was determined not to show Uncle Jack he was a sissy. He just took it.\n\nSMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! Audie clamped his jaw shut as hard as he could to blot out the sting. He remained silent.\n\n\"OK, get up,\" his mother finally said, the spanking over. Audie opened his eyes and stood up, letting his shirt fall down and cover him in front. He stood facing his mother and started to rub his little bare fanny with both hands. He didn’t say anything.\n\n\"Are you going to bring another note home from your teacher?\" his mom asked, trying to prompt a reply. Audie later regretted his petulant retort. He should have simply said \"No\" and pulled up his pants. However the unfairness of it all, his total innocence, having Uncle Jack see everything, and his disgust at himself for not yelling for Kevin’s sake all combined to block his reasoning powers just long enough for him to blurt out sass. He stopped rubbing and held out his hands, palms up.\n\n\"How can I tell?\" he grumbled, \"since my teacher sends notes home at random whether or not I did anything to deserve them. I can’t control what she does!\"\n\n\"Audie!\" his mother yelled. Immediately Audie realized what he had done. He had completely negated whatever lesson he wanted his little brother to get out of this sad experience. He was appalled at himself.\n\nUncle Jack spoke up. \"Well,\" he said, \"it appears that that spanking didn’t do the job.\"\n\n\"What’s it to you?\" Audie spit out, outraged at this strange man sticking his nose in Audie’s affairs.\n\n\"AUDIE!\" his mother yelled at that. Audie immediately realized that things had gone from bad to intolerable. Now he had pissed off the Uncle Jack. Would the man get up and leave without forking over money for tomorrow’s dinner? What had Audie done?\n\n\"Harrumph,\" Uncle Jack snorted. \"What you need, young man, is another spanking, with a belt this time. That’s what my mommy gave me when I was your age and I didn’t give her any backtalk after that. No sir!\"\n\n\"Go ahead and give it to him, then,\" his mother said, exasperated at her son’s unacceptable behavior and apprehensive that she would lose her customer, too. The latter fear predominated.\n\n\"Very, well,\" Uncle jack said and stood up. He reached for his belt buckle and unfastened it. He grabbed the buckle end and rapidly jerked the belt out, Schliiip, SNAP! He folded it in half and sat back down, grabbing Audie’s arm as he did so.\n\n\"Ommmmm!\" Kevin intoned.\n\nAudie’s mind was racing. And he had thought getting spanked in front of Uncle Jack was embarrassing! Now he was going to get spanked BY Uncle Jack. A thousand times worse. Then he heard his little brother’s comment and remembered. Well, he had wanted Kevin to learn a lesson, too, and had flubbed it with his mother. Now maybe if he got it with a belt just like Kevin had, the lesson would take. For that reason, and no other, he didn’t resist as Uncle Jack pulled Audie to him and forced him down in position over his knee. Audie grabbed the chair legs and gripped tight. Again he squeezed shut his eyes, trying to blot out what was going to happen and flinched his fanny. Uncle Jack raised his hand and brought the belt down hard.\n\nCRACK! \"OWIE!\" Audie screamed. No fake that one. The sting of the belt was infinitely worse than his mother’s hand. Audie felt the pain shoot upward.\n\nCRACK! \"Ayyyie!\" Audie screamed. \"It hurts!\"\n\n\"It’s supposed to,\" Uncle Jack responded, just as Audie had done when his brother had made the same compliant. Audie didn’t think of that, however, his whole world had shrunk to just include him and his blazing rump. The sting spread to his jaws. To Audie it seemed like a toothache.\n\nCRACK! \"EEEEEEE!\" Audie yelled.\n\n\"Am I getting through to you, boy?\" Uncle Jack asked.\n\n\"Yes, yes, yes,\" Audie yelled. \"It hurts, it hurts!\"\n\n\"Good,\" exclaimed Uncle Jack. \"Here’s another.\"\n\nCRACK! \"OUCH!\" Audie yelled and felt his eyes getting wet. The sting of that one had forced tears out. Uncle Jack continued.\n\nCRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! \"Ah, AH, AH!\" Audie yelled and started crying. \"Hoo, hoo, bwahhh! Stop! Please! Enough!\"\n\n\"Not yet,\" Uncle Jack yelled to be heard above Audie’s crying. \"That was for the note. This is for the sass.\"\n\nCRACK! \"Ah, HA! OWIE! OW!\" yelled Audie.\n\nKevin stared at his big brother getting whipped good and hard. He recalled what it had felt like when Audie was giving it to him. Without feeling a trace of revenge, he grimaced as he saw his poor brother’s bare fanny flatten with each stroke. He noticed the red stripes starting to form all over Audie’s butt and thighs. He was tempted to rush the man and pull his arm away, but was too scared at what would happen after that. He just watched, with eyes wide open. A tear started to form in his left eye. He let it and it dripped down his cheek.\n\nCRACK! went the belt. CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! \"OK,\" yelled Audie, \"OK, OK, OW! OW! It hurts! No more! No more! PLEEESE!\"\n\nUncle Jack stopped at that point and dropped the belt to the floor. Using both hands he tried to lift Audie upright. Audie, however, concentrating only on his blazing bottom failed to let go his spastic grip on the chair legs. \"Let go!\" Uncle Jack commanded. \"Get up!\"\n\nFinally realizing that the spanking was over, Audie cautiously let go of the chair and allowed himself to be picked up by Uncle Jack who stood, grasping the crying boy’s armpits. Lifting Audie off the floor as he stood, Uncle Jack shook him slightly. \"Stop that crying!\" he ordered.\n\nAudie got a whiff of the man’s breath. It was foul. That was what booze smelled like an hour or so after it was drunk, but Audie didn’t know that, only that it smelled bad. Wanting no more of that Audie tried his best to stop bawling. No good, his eyes had a will of their own. All Audie could do was snuff up his nose. \"Bwaaa, ha ha ha,\" he wailed.\n\n\"Stop it, I said,\" Uncle Jack ordered again and slapped Audie’s behind with his right hand.\n\n\"Ow\" Audie said, but he didn’t yell it, it was more of a surprise than a hurt, although it did sting, coming, as it did, on top of the belt welts.\n\nAudie tried, but he just couldn’t stop crying. Instead he started rubbing his blazing buns. That only made it worse, so he stopped and stared at Uncle Jack, no pleasant expression on his face, the typical glare of a just-spanked little boy still stinging from his lesson.\n\nUncle Jack returned the scowl. \"Go to your room, then,\" he ordered, seeing that Audie continued to cry. He bent down and picked up his belt from the floor. He shook it at Audie. \"Unless you want some more.\"\n\n\"NO!\" Audie managed to let out between sobs. He reached down and pulled up his underpants which, miraculously, had not been kicked off, although his jeans had. He picked up his pants in his left hand and carried them with him as he walked to his and Kevin’s room, rubbing the seat of his underpants with his right hand and continuing to cry, at the pain and the humiliation and the unfairness of it all. Kevin scurried after him.\n\nWhen the two boys disappeared into their room, Uncle Jack slipped his belt into his pants loops but didn’t buckle it. He turned to the woman seated in front of him. \"What about us, now?\" he asked. The two adults retired to the other bedroom.\n\nIn the kids’ bedroom, Audie dropped his pants on the floor, flung himself face down on the bed and buried his nose in the pillow. He cried hard, rubbing his sore fanny through his underpants. Kevin laid down beside his big brother.\n\n\"That must have hurt bad,\" he said, trying to comfort Audie as best he could. Audie just continued to cry in the pillow. \"Here, let me rub it better.\" Kevin pushed away Audie’s hands and pulled Audie’s underpants down below his buttocks. He rubbed the redness lightly.\n\nAt that Audie managed to force himself to stop bawling. He lifted his head of the pillow and snuffed, loudly. \"That feels good, Kevie,\" he said. \"Thanks.\" The two of them laid next to each other until they fell asleep. Sometime in the night Audie woke up. The light was still on. He pushed Kevin’s arms away and got up to turn it off. He heard noises coming from the other bedroom. Uncle Jack was spending the night, it seemed. Audie flipped the light off and then in the darkness shucked off his shirt and underpants and climbed back in bed. He didn’t try to undress his brother. He did manage to remember to set the alarm.\n\nWhen it went off in the morning, Audie woke instantly. He had fallen asleep quite a bit before the usual time and had gotten more sleep than usual.. Kevin, too, was cat-like that morning. Good thing, too, because Audie remembered that today was the day they were eating at Greg’s and they hadn’t taken a bath the night before. \"Oh, crap!\" he exclaimed when he realized the omission. Now, it was quite likely that neither boy needed a bath. Not really. They’d both had one the day before yesterday, but Audie wanted to make the best possible impression on Greg’s parents and there would be no time for a bath after school if the three of them were to ride the bus directly after class was out.\n\n\"What?\" Kevin asked.\n\n\"We forgot our baths last night. Cummon, we gotta hurry.\" he dragged his brother into the bathroom and pushed aside the various detritus left by his mother and Uncle Jack, not even seeing it. Amid constant complaints from Kevin, Audie managed to get the water run and the clothes off his brother and the two of them scrubbed each other thoroughly. Kevin looked. Audie’s welts were better, but still showed. He didn’t say anything about that. Audie dried them both off and dressed Kevin in his ordinary school clothes. Audie, himself dressed in his best. He then laid out Kevin’s best clothes on the bed.\n\nTurning to his brother, he shook him slightly to make sure he had the boy’s complete attention. \"Look, Kevie,\" he explained. \"After lunch at school you have to come home until it’s time to go on the bus. You can’t hang around the schoolyard or they’ll think you’re cutting classes...\"\n\nKevin screwed up his face at that. \"What’s ’cutting classes’ mean, Audie?\" he asked.\n\n\"Not going to school when you’re supposed to,\" Audie snapped the answer, irritated at the interruption and afraid that Kevin wouldn’t remember what was important. \"Forget that, Kevie. Concentrate on what I’m telling you. You have to come home after lunch. I want you to undress and put on these clothes here on the bed. Think you can do that?\"\n\nKevin scowled. \"Of course, I can,\" he spit out, \"I can dress myself!\"\n\n\"Good,\" Audie said with a slight nod of his head. \"Then put these on and be back at school at 3 o’clock. that’s when the big hand is on the 12 and the little hand is on the 3. Got that.\"\n\n\"I can tell time, too,\" Kevin snapped.\n\n\"Good.\" Audie answered, not taking time to be more patient with his brother. The morning was so hectic! \"Common, let’s go.\"\n\n\"What about breakfast, Audie,\" Kevin groused. \"I’m hungry!\"\n\nAudie gave his brother a pained look. \"I’m sorry, Kevie, but there’s no time. If we are late to school we’ll both get notes... KRIPES! The note!\" Suddenly remembering that he had to return the cursed note to his teacher all signed and everything, Audie’s heart sank. He would just have to tell the teacher his mother forgot, and hope he didn’t have to stay after school for that. That would just kill everything! Why was life so complicated?\n\n\"What are you going to do, Audie?\" Kevin wailed, his hunger forgotten, what with the threat of getting a note himself for being late and worry about his brother getting spanked again for not having his signed.\n\n\"Cross that bridge when we come to it,\" Audie responded. What else could he do? However, as the boys made for the door, there was the signed note taped to the doorknob. Audie sighed in relief.\n\nThey even made it to school on time. Audie gave his teacher the note and told her that he was punished for it without going into the details. The teacher smiled and didn’t press for them. Greg sat with them at lunch and made sure that they hadn’t forgotten about dinner.\n\n\"No chance!\" Audie exclaimed.\n\n\"No chance!\" Kevin copied his brother.\n\n\"Good,\" Greg replied with a smile, noticing that the other two boys were wolfing down lunch, including the brown bread that most kids threw away. He wondered at that, but said nothing. After Kevin and Audie had cleaned their plates Audie drew a note out of his backpack and handed it to Kevin. Kevin looked at in horror, but Audie quickly explained.\n\n\"I wrote this for Mother, Kevie. Put it on the table before you leave so she knows where we are if she comes home.\"\n\n\"Right!\" Kevin exclaimed, the relief in his voice noticeable. Greg was filled with curiosity at all this. Surely Audie’s mother knew where they were going to be this evening. She had to give permission, didn’t she? And why was Kevin so relieved at that? However, something told Greg that now was not the time to pry. He wanted to take no chances with the visit. Maybe the note was just a reminder.\n\nLunch eaten, Kevin departed for home. Audie sent up a silent prayer that his little brother would not screw up. He looked so little as he turned and walked away!\n\nAudie had a hard time concentrating for the rest of the afternoon, worrying about Kevin. Around 2:00 he remembered that he had forgotten to tell Kevin where the busses were! He didn’t hear any of the remaining lessons.\n\n(to be continued)", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "Kevin was waiting outside Audie’s classroom when they broke for lunch. "I gave Miss Minton the note, Audie," he explained at once. "She took it and didn’t ask anything. I didn’t tell her I got spanked. OK?"

"Good," Audie replied with a curt nod of his head. That incident was over. "Come, Kevin, I’ve got somebody I want you to meet." He hoped. Maybe Greg had met somebody else on the bus and now wanted nothing to do with a bastard.

"Meet?" Kevin asked. This was something new. The two made it to the cafeteria. Today was spaghetti Os and garlic bread, or as Kevin had it, "basgetti". Audie decided to forgo the English lesson for today. It was enough that Kevin liked it. Audie paid for the two of them out of the cigar box emergency fund, hoping that their mother would make it home in time to give them dinner money. The two filled their trays and Audie led his brother to the same out-of-the-way corner he had used the day before. The table was empty. Audie’s heart sank. Well, what had he told his brother? If there’s nothing you can do about it, you have to live with it. They sat down across from each other like they always did.

"Who are we going to meet, Audie?" Kevin asked innocently. "I don’t see anybody special." The question grabbed Audie on the raw, rubbing in the older boy’s bitter disappointment.

"Nobody, I guess," Audie spat.

Kevin immediately looked up. "What’s wrong, Audie?" He asked. "Did I do something?"

Audie looked at his brother and immediately drew a mask over his emotions. "No, Kevie," he managed to get out in a half-normal voice. "You did nothing wrong."

Kevin immediately picked up on the way Audie had accented the "you". "Who did, then?" he asked, worried because his brother was upset again and not knowing why.

"Somebody I met yesterday, Kevie," Audie answered. "Never mind. it’s over now." Audie tried to push his disappointment out of his mind so he could eat in peace. He hung his head and stared at the food, trying to blot out the world he was finding harder and harder to cope with.

"Ah, there you are," said a familiar voice. "How goes it?"

Audie jerked up his head. "Greg!" he yelled and a huge grin broke out on his face.

"What?" Greg asked, aware that the greeting held some secret meaning.

"Where have you been?" Audie asked, immediately scooting over to give Greg room to sit.

"What do you mean?" Greg asked, shaking his tray to suggest the answer. "In line, of course. It’s out the door in case you hadn’t noticed." Audie hadn’t. He looked at the door and saw all the other kids lined up. He must have gotten out a minute or two early. Suddenly the world wasn’t so mean any more.

Audie turned his attention back to Greg. "Greg," he said formally, "I’d like you to meet my brother, Kevin. Kevie, this is my new friend, Greg."

Greg smiled and held out his hand. "Glad to meet ya," he said. Kevin managed to overcome his natural shyness at the novel situation. He had never met one of his brother’s friends before. It was obvious why. He took the strange boy’s hand and shook. He didn’t stand up, unaware that that was part of the ritual. Greg didn’t seem to notice. He sat down next to Audie where the place had been made for him. "You didn’t say you had a brother," he remarked.

"Guess we didn’t get around to it," Audie responded, rather amazed that they hadn’t.

Greg turned to Kevin. "What grade you in, Kevin - or is it Kevie?"

"Kevin," Kevie responded immediately, sensing, somehow, that "Kevie" was something special between him and his brother. "I’m in kinneygarden."

"Kindergarden," Audie corrected his brother, getting it almost right.

"Whatever," Kevin responded, using a word he had learned on television to express his displeasure at being corrected in public like that.

Greg picked up on the tension and tried to diffuse it immediately. "No matter," he assured the little one. "What’s this glop?" he asked next, staring at his plate.

"Basgetti ohs," Kevin responded immediately with a giggle at Greg’s description.

Audie gave his own giggle at Kevin’s. "Spaghetti Os," he explained to Greg, trying not to irritate his little brother by correcting him yet again, but that gaff couldn’t stand. Greg might think that was the correct name and blurt it out someday. "Cheerios in spaghetti sauce."

"Boy, the food here is sure weird," Greg replied. "It’s going to take some getting used to." He took a forkful. "Ummmm, not bad, though."

"Greg’s from Omaha," Audie explained to his brother.

"Where’s Omaha?" Audie asked next.

Audie glanced at Greg, smiled, and turned back to Kevin. "Someplace far away," he replied, hinting that Kevin was too young for a fuller answer, but really because Audie wasn’t too sure himself.

"We just moved here," Greg continued. "Yesterday was my first day."

"We move a lot, too," Kevin replied with his mouth full of basghetti.

"You do?" Greg asked Audie.

"Just around town, Greg," Audie answered. "Not from far away, like you." Greg filed that one in the bottom drawer for discussion later.

"Hey, that reminds me," Greg said, changing the subject, "I told my parents about you and they want to meet you. You wanna come to my place for dinner tomorrow? We won’t have tacos or spaghetti rings, but my mom’s a good cook. You’ll like it, I’m sure."

Audie was surprised. Nobody had ever asked him to dinner before. He wondered if Greg had told his folks all about Audie. Most parents wouldn’t let their kids even play with Audie, let alone invite the bastard to dinner. Audie was about to jump at the chance and say yes at once. Then he remembered Kevin. His face clouded up. "I’m sorry, Greg," he responded sadly, "I’d love to, but I have to cook dinner for Kevin here."

For the first time ever, Kevin sensed that his brother didn’t want him around. He felt sad at that, but understood. His brother had a friend. Kevin felt in the way.

"Huh?" Greg asked. "Doesn’t your mother cook for you? You said you ate at home."

Audie was beginning to learn that it was useless to hold anything back. He so hated being different, but, as he had told his brother, you just had to live with it sometimes. "No, Greg," he replied calmly, resolved to the necessity of owning up to his differences. "We eat at home. I cook. Mom works until really late." Please, Audie silently begged, don’t make him ask what she does!

"YOU cook!?" Greg exclaimed. The idea was preposterous. A 10-year old in the kitchen alone? Greg’s mother wouldn’t allow that in a month of Sundays. The novelty of that ridiculous revelation blotted out the other anomaly in his new friend’s disclosure. He never asked what Audie’s mom did for a living.

"Yeah," Audie said with a grin. He was proud of his ability, never for a second associating cooking as women’s work. "It’s not hard. All you gotta do is like eating!"

"Wow! That’s something!" The awe in Greg’s tone was unmistakable. Audie swelled with pride. It felt so good to be different and not have that condemned outright! Audie liked having a friend. But then reality settled in. Friends were nice, very nice, but he LOVED his brother, and, of course, Kevin came first. He would have to forgo the invite. Audie wouldn’t let his brother go hungry or fend for himself at Mc Donald’s. Audie’s huge grin dimmed. Greg, not even aware of it came to the rescue.

"Well, anyway, tomorrow, bring Kevin along. I’m sure Mom will say it’s OK. He doesn’t look like he eats much. Hah!"

Audie couldn’t believe his ears. Was THIS what it was like to have a friend? He liked it. He liked it. Just to relieve the delicious tension, Audie cracked a joke. "Don’t be too sure of that, Greg. He’s a regular bottomless pit sometimes!" If the food was good.

Kevin didn’t understand that it was a joke. All he got out of that conversation was that his brother was being invited to eat at his new friend’s and that he, Kevin, was being a problem. He spoke up. "I won’t eat much!" he exclaimed. "I’d like to come. Can I, please."

Greg laughed. "Sure you can come, Tiger. Eat all you want, too. Mom likes kids to clean their plates!" He turned to Audie, "So, it’s settled then? Dinner at my place tomorrow? Your mom will say it’s OK, won’t she?"

"Oh, yeah," Audie exclaimed, as excited as he had ever been in his life. "We’ll leave her a note, just in case!" The boys would almost certainly be home before their mother and she would never know. Or care.

Greg so completely failed to understand that that he didn’t even try for an explanation. It was enough that his new friend was coming to meet his parents. That was a requirement at his house. If any boy refused to meet his folks, then they refused to let Greg and him be friends. "Good! Then. Meet me at the bus stop tomorrow, you two and we’ll ride home together."

Uh-oh. Audie immediately sensed another problem. He looked up at Greg, alarmed. "Uh," he stammered, "how do we get home afterward, then?" What if they couldn’t go on account of that?

Greg laughed. "Oh, no problem. My dad’ll drive you home."

What a convenience having a car must be, thought Audie. He smiled a big one. "Done!" he exclaimed. They shook hands in an exaggerated ceremony. Audie was so happy. That lasted until the spelling test an hour later.

"OK, class," Mrs. Gumbil had said. "time for your spelling quiz. Put away your books and take out a piece of paper." everybody groaned, but complied. Spelling books were slammed shut (everybody had been doing a last minute review - some for the first time, alas). It was then that Murphy the Lawgiver stepped in to kick Audie in the shins. Murphy can’t stand to have anybody happy. The spelling books were spiral-bound booklets that could be opened flat to the current page, all the better to memorize the words without having to hold the book open. The books were supposed to be closed with their covers shut for the test. However, the boy seated in front of Audie carelessly folded his the other way, leaving this week’s page open to view and stuffed it in the basket under his desk where Audie could see it. Audie did nothing of the sort, of course, concentrating on getting out the paper and writing his name at the top.

Making sure that all the desktops were clear, Mrs. Gumbil started in. "OK, class, first word. ’Bizarre’. The girl was confused by her mother’s bizarre behavior. ’Bizarre’." She waited for the class to write it down.

Audie concentrated on remembering the word. He never noticed the open book under the desk in front of him. Probably couldn’t have read it even if he did. Audie conjured up a picture of Kevin saying "bizzer" and that reminded him that it had one "Z" and two "R’s". He spelled it correctly.

Waiting for a few seconds for the class to finish, Mrs. Gumbil went on to the next word, then the next. Audie concentrated on remembering Kevin’s voice and the letters just spelled themselves.

Finally, they got to the last one. "’Somersault’," Mrs. Gumbil said. "The boy did a somersault on the lawn. ’Somersault." Audie squeezed his eyes shut. That was the hard one. He couldn’t remember Kevin that time, but he thought he remembered the spelling. He wrote the letters down on the page and stared at then intently. Did that look right?

Mrs. Gumbil had been walking around the room, proctoring the test as she spoke the words. She noticed Audie staring forward with such intensity. How amusing. Well, it was a hard word. Then she spotted something under the desk in front. What was that? An open book? And Audie staring at it with such an effort! Oh, too bad. And she had thought Audie was such a good student, too. "Audie!" she barked. The class dropped their pencils and stared in Audie’s direction. Mrs. Gumbil reached down and picked up the open book. Holding it up for the class to see she glared at poor Audie who hadn’t a clue to the disaster that was quickly overtaking him. "Care to explain this, young man?"

Audie didn’t even know what it was. But Mrs. Gumbil was certainly mad at something. Audie shot her a look of fear. Mrs. Gumbil took that for a sure sign of guilt. "What?" Audie asked - a genuine question.

"Don’t try to pretend with me, young man," Mrs. Gumbil. "You were staring at this book open to today’s page with all the words where you could see them. Don’t try to deny it, I saw you. Shame on you, Audie." Then she turned on the boy in front who was even more surprised. "And you, too, Thomas Quiggly, helping Audie to cheat on a test. What, you two think I wouldn’t see?"

The class let out a collective "Ooooommmmmmm."

"No, no," both boys denied the whole plot.

"Let’s see, then," Mrs. Gumbil said, picking up Audie’s paper. Murphy laughed. Mrs. Gumbil read Audie’s work. "Just as I suspected, Audie. These are all spelled correctly, even ’somersault’. Both of you see me after class!" She grabbed Tom’s paper, too, and, whipping out her red pen, marked both with a big "F - Caught Cheating!" and kept them. "the rest of you, hand your papers to the front. Quickly, now."

Tom turned to Audie and snarled at him. "Bastard!" he said just loud enough for Audie to hear.

"But, I didn’t, I didn’t," Audie protested.

"Bastard!" Tom repeated, louder.

"Quiet, you two," Mrs. Gumbil ordered.

Audie sat back in his chair, stunned. From the top of the mountain to the very pit below in one ruinous avalanche. Audie knew he was totally innocent, but he was smart enough to realize that nobody else could possibly think so given the circumstances. All that time with Kevin and all just to get him in trouble. Bad trouble. Why couldn’t he have put a second Z in bizarre, or screwed up somersault? Why this time, off all tests, did he have to get a perfect score? This was sooooo unfair!

Audie didn’t remember the rest of the day. All he could think of was Mrs. Gumbil saying "See me after class." Finally the bell rang and the rest of the kids did their mad scramble to get out the door. Audie almost bolted, too, but then realized that they would only come and get him and the catastrophe he so dreaded would surely come to pass. He trudged up to the teacher’s desk with Thomas right behind.

"Bastard!" Tom whispered behind his back. "Bastard! You’re gonna get yours, just you wait and see!"

Audie fought back the tears. He couldn’t handle this! This was so unfair. Audie had done nothing to merit this, disgraced by his teacher and loathed by his classmate for nothing. Nothing!

"Well, you two," Mrs. Gumbil started right in as soon as the classroom was cleared and the two miscreants were within earshot. "What do you have to say for yourselves?"

"It’s all this creep’s fault, Mrs. Gumbil," Thomas started in. Mrs. Gumbil put a stop to that one at once.

"Oh, no it’s not, Thomas," she admonished the angry boy. "It was your spelling book I saw under your desk. It had your name on it."

"He must have opened it!" Thomas insisted.

Audie got hopping mad at that. "I did nothing of the sort!" he yelled.

"Quiet, you two," Mrs. Gumbil barked. "I’ve been a teacher long enough to know cheating when I see it. Audie, you were looking at Tom’s book and Tom, you let him. Say no more!"

Audie couldn’t let that go unchallenged. He was in enough hot water already, he figured a little bit more wouldn’t be much worse. He stood up at attention. "Mrs. Gumbil, Ma’am." he said as politely as he could. "May I say something, please?"

Mrs. Gumbil was not predisposed to grant the request, but Audie had been such a good student do far, and he had such a miserable expression on his face that she just couldn’t say no. "Make it quick," she allowed.

Audie tried to comply. "Mrs. Gumbil, I know what it looks like. I can’t do anything about that, but I swear to you that I didn’t know that book was there. I was staring at my paper. Tom here must have turned his book inside out without realizing it. He wasn’t trying to help me cheat."

Thomas interrupted Audie’s speech. "Yeah," he sneered. "like I would help that little bastard!"

"Thomas!" Mrs. Gumbil yelled, startled, "language!" That outburst was the final straw. Mrs. Gumbil was no longer willing to listen to excuses from these two impolite brats, brushing Audie with Tom’s tar. "OK, both of you will remain here for a half hour. You will open your spelling books to the appendix at the back. You will mark the first 50 words there and study them. One week from today you will stay after class again and be tested on those 50 words. Any that you miss will be so marked and you will stay after school the next day and the next and the next until you can spell all fifty correctly, even if it takes the rest of the year."

Audie gasped. He couldn’t afford the time. "But, but," he exclaimed, without thinking. "I am needed at home, I can’t..."

"Can it, Mister!" Mrs. Gumbil shut him up. "We’ll see about that." She took out a piece of paper and started writing. Audie’s heart failed him. It looked like a note.

Mrs. Gumbil finished writing. She reached in her desk drawer and took out an envelope. Folding the letter to fit she inserted it in the envelope and sealed it. She looked up at Audie sternly and handed him the letter. "This note will explain to your parents why you are late getting home. You can explain your story to them, see if they believe it. They are to sign the back and you will bring it to me tomorrow, understand?"

Audie was crushed. But there was nothing for it. He took the envelope in his hand. "Yes, Ma’am," he replied, his eyes on the floor.

"Alright, both of you to your desks and start studying. You have 30 minutes. Move."

The boys trudged back to their seats. Thomas sneered at Audie. Oh, Thomas," Mrs. Gimbel spoke up. "Before you go be sure to stop by my desk and get your note, too." Tom gasped. Audie didn’t gloat. There was nothing to gloat over.

Forty-five minutes later Audie unlocked the front door of their apartment and wearily stepped inside. He had just closed the door and flipped the deabolt when his brother rushed him, almost knocking him to the floor. Kevin grabbed Audie’s legs and squeezed with all his strength. "Audie, Audie," he cried. "Where have you been? It’s after 4. You should have been home long ago. I was so scared."

For a second, Audie was sorry he had taught Kevin to tell time, but, no, that was a necessary skill. Kevin had to know how to do that, come what may. Audie pried his brother away from the strangle hold he had on Audie’s legs. Kevin looked up at his brother’s face just to assure himself that Audie was truly home. Audie saw that the little guy had been crying. Damn it all! It wasn’t just Audie that suffered from this gross miscarriage of justice. "I had to stay after school, Kevie. I’m so sorry. Come, sit down I’ll tell you all about it."

"You brought a note home from school?, Audie?" Kevin had asked when Audie was through explaining. "You?"

"Yes, me, Kevie," Audie spat out, "but it wasn’t my fault!"

"But a note, Audie?" Kevin was unsure just why his big brother made such a big deal out of that. Audie hadn’t even waited a day after Kevin’s note to get one of his own. Never-the-less, a big deal it was. "Do I have to spank you now, Audie?" What if...

Audie snorted. "No, squirt, you don’t. We’ll have to let Mom take care of that. She has to sign the note, anyway, you can’t write, and Mrs. Gumbil knows my handwriting by now."

Kevin wanted to help. "Maybe I can, Audie, if you show me how. Like you show me how to read."

Audie laughed. "No, Kevie, thanks anyway, but you can’t learn to write in a couple of hours. It has to be Mom."

Kevin brightened. "What about Greg? He can do it! He’s new and besides, he isn’t in ol’ Mrs. Gumball’s class, she won’t know his writing."

Audie was appalled at how quickly Kevin picked up on how to cheat. Was that what he had taught his little brother by signing Kevin’s note himself. This would never do. Audie had to set a better example and he had to do it now. "No, Kevin," he said firmly, "I didn’t cheat on the spelling test and I won’t cheat now. We didn’t cheat when I signed your note because you were punished anyway. I just have to tell Mom and take my spanking from her." That his mom would punish him he had no doubt. Audie knew his mother had less time to deal with him than he had with Kevin. He was sure she’d spank him for a note. Besides, he wanted to get one anyway, so that Kevin would keep on thinking that notes were big deals. Never mind that Audie didn’t deserve it. Besides, his mother used her hand and that didn’t hurt much. Well... not like the belt anyway. "I’ll probably have to sit up until she comes home. If you are awakened by me crying, you’ll know why. Just go back to sleep." Audie made a mental note to yell and cry when he was getting it so that Kevin would hear.

Kevin had a little boy’s ability to switch subjects when he deemed the old one to be closed. "What’s for dinner?"

Audie didn’t want to cook after all this, but they had had fast food the night before. Mrs. Pace would have a kitten at two nights in a row. "How about a fried egg sandwich?" he suggested. That was easy and they didn’t have to go to the store for that. There was still enough lettuce left over for a salad each and some for the sandwich.

"OK, I guess," Kevin answered without enthusiasm. He had been hoping for Mc Donald’s for once. How he hated Mrs. Pace!

Audie fried a slice of bacon, a slice of onion and an egg each and put them on bread with mayonnaise and mustard (not too much of that on Kevin’s) and a slice of lettuce. As a sop to Kevin he located their last can of corn in the cupboard and heated that with butter for the vegetable. What with a salad and milk it wasn’t a bad meal he thought. Audie didn’t know about the Post-Mrs. Pace PC food police who would have fainted at the cholesterol to fat ratio.

While they were washing the dishes, Audie watched as his brother became more and more agitated. By the time they had them all put away, Kevin was about to burst. Audie got his attention.

"OK, Kevie, out with it. What’s eating you now?"

Kevin was amazed at how his big brother could read his mind. He had no idea how easy it was. "Audie," he started in, getting really serious, "Are we still going to get to go to Greg’s tomorrow? What if Mom punishes you by saying no?"

Audie jerked at the thought. "NO!" he shouted. "I’m not going to stiff my first friend over a mistake like this. It’s unfair enough as it is already. We’re going. Don’t tell Mom anything about it, Kevin. We’re just going to leave her a note and go, like I told Greg. Got it?"

Kevin was scared at the vehemence in Audie’s tone. He made certain that he wouldn’t tell his mother anything. He didn’t say much to her anyway.

"Oh, by the way," Audie continued, "that reminds me. We are going to meet Greg’s parents tomorrow. I want to make sure you know what to go when you are introduced. We must be polite. We may be bastards, but that doesn’t mean we have to act like ones."

Audie took one look at Kevin’s befuddled expression and instantly regretted giving that last vent to his frustrations. Too late. "What do you mean act like bastards, Audie?" Kevin asked. "How are we supposed to act?"

A thought came to Audie’s rescue. He ignored the real explanation altogether. "Let me show you, Kevin." he explained. "Pretend that that chair is Greg’s father, OK? I’m Greg. Here’s what I say: ’Dad, I want you to meat Audie’s brother, Kevin. Kevin, this is my Dad.’ What do you do?"

Kevin got it almost right, but Audie went over it again and again to make sure Kevin was at his best the next day. Audie was apprehensive enough at what Greg’s parents would say when they found out Kevin and Audie were for-real bastards. He wanted to make sure that they had made the best possible impression before that happened, to give Audie the best chance of keeping his friend. He made sure that Kevin would say "Pleased to meet you, Sir," if Greg didn’t mention his last name (Audie and he hadn’t exchanged surnames yet, that being unnecessary in the fifth grade), and "Pleased to meet you, Mr. X" if that name was known by then. He then went over the whole thing again for Greg’s mother, making sure Kevin had the Ma’am or Mrs. X down pat as the case might be.

They had just finished that to Audie’s satisfaction when there was a disturbance at the door. It opened and their mother came in accompanied by a tall muscular man in a suit and tie. "Just swell!" Audie thought to himself. His mom picked that night of all times to bring the Uncle Jack home. Cripes! Murphy was kicking him when he was down. His mother led the Uncle Jack to the kitchen where the boys were sitting. The man’s face registered surprise at seeing the kids. They always did. His mother never mentioned them until the last possible moment in case it might give the Uncle Jack a case of second-thoughts. The important point was what registered after the surprise. A look of disgust was the worst. Then the Uncle Jack would leave and Audie would feel like he was a hunk of crap or something. Audie studied that man’s face. There was nothing beyond the initial surprise. The man wore no hat, and had a receding hairline that made him look something like Mr. Anderson, Greg’s teacher at school. His eyes were dark brown and the expression was eager, not repulsed. Good. He needed a shave, which made him look seedy. Well, that was par for the course in Uncle Jacks. His suit was wrinkled as if he had slept in it. Another PC buffoon who went in for natural fiber clothes rather than artificial ones that held their shape for more than a couple of hours. He didn’t have time for much else. His mother called for his attention.

"Audie," she said, "I’d like you to say hello to your Uncle Jack. Jack, this is my son, Audie." Audie had just been going over this very situation over and over again with his brother. He didn’t think, he just acted out of habit. He held out his hand to the strange man.

"Pleased to meet you, Uncle Jack," he intoned.

Uncle Jack opened his eyes in surprise again. "Well," he said, holding out his hand, "what a polite young man! Pleased to meet you Audie," They shook. Uncle Jack’s hand was cold and clammy and he didn’t grasp firmly, but Audie couldn’t have cared less. This was all just a sham. He was most UNpleased to meet this Uncle Jack on this particular night.

"And this is my younger son, Kevin," his mother continued. Audie studied his little brother’s actions. If nothing else, it was an excellent dress rehearsal for tomorrow. Kevin stepped forward.

"Pleased to meet you, Uncle Jack," he said firmly and with confidence, taking his cue from Audie. If Audie said it, it must be right. He held out his hand.

"Pleased to meet you Calvin," Uncle Jack said and gave Kevin his dead fish handshake.

"It’s Kevin, Sir," Kevin corrected the man. Audie sighed in relief. Kevin had gotten it right. Tomorrow would be a snap after this.

The man laughed, nervously, "Oh, sure, sure. Sorry, Son, Kevin. Pleased to meet you Kevin." The man eyed Audie’s mother as if to say, "OK, that’s done with..." It was probably just the meaning the look was intended to convey.

Audie realized he was in a terrible jam. In no way could he put off the note business now. With an Uncle Jack actually in the house, there was no telling when his mother would be free again. He had to get the note signed and all the rest over now or never. Damn Murphy. He turned to Uncle Jack, trying to remember if you gave preference to the woman or the guest. Since this was an important guest, his choice was easy. "Excuse, me, Uncle Jack," he said, "but I need to talk to my mother for a second. I’m sorry for the intrusion."

His Mom’s angry look boded nothing good, but what could he do? Audie first turned to Kevin. "Kevin," he commanded, "go get the... note." He had almost called it "that damned note," but caught himself just in time. Kevin flashed his eyes wide at the request. Audie was going to confess right away in front of Uncle Jack! He turned to the living room where the note was laying on the coffee table, more or less right where Kevin’s note had been the day before. Audie turned to his mother.

He really wanted to do this out of earshot of Uncle Jack, but Audie knew better that to separate Uncle Jack at this point. He might take the opportunity to bolt. Audie would just have to brave it through. "Mom," he said reluctantly, "I got in trouble at school today."

"Hah!" said Uncle Jack and collapsed in a chair.

"What?" his mom said, putting all the exasperation possible in her tone. Audie explained the whole incident, not editing a thing, taking as much time as he needed. To hell with Uncle Jack. The man just listened. He didn’t seem eager to leave. Good and bad. Audie was overburdened with conflict resolution. At the end he handed his mother the note. She ripped open the envelope with her thumbnail, took out the letter and read it.

"Audie," she said, gesturing with the note, "this is just disgraceful, young man."

"But I didn’t do it!" Audie protested, mainly for Uncle Jack’s benefit.

"Hah!" said Uncle Jack again.

His mother narrowed her eyes at Audie. "Son," she said, "I have to take your teacher’s word for this. She was there. She saw what went on. She has no reason to lie."

"And I do, so that automatically makes me a liar," Audie thought to himself. He knew better than to argue at this point, however. Besides, he didn’t want to. For one thing he just wanted to get the whole thing over with ASAP. For another, there was Kevin to think about. His little brother needed to realize just how bad notes were and for Audie to try to get out of it would send the wrong message. Damn and damn. Audie hung his head.

"I’m sorry, Mom," he said.

"Well, let’s us just make sure of that, shall we? Stand up straight."

Audie’s heart started racing. "Ah, Mom," he said, glancing at Uncle Jack, "Can’t we take are of this some other time?"

"No, Audie," she answered. "A boy needs to be punished as soon after the crime as possible. Let’s get this over with." She reached up and started to unbuckle Audie’s belt. Audie glanced at Uncle Jack and noticed that the man was certainly taking an interest in the proceedings. Audie became incensed at this. Who was this strange man to be a witness to Audie’s punishment?

His mother unbuckled his belt and started to unbutton his fly. Audie almost bolted, but another thought of his little brother changed his mind. He let his mother unzip his pants and pull them down to the floor. Uncle Jack moved his chair slightly to get a better view. Audie stared at the wall behind his mother trying to blot out all thought of what was happening. He felt his mother tugging at his underpants and then felt the cold air of the underheated apartment chill his bare skin as she pulled them down all the way, too. A second later she tugged his shirt up to his armpits and forced him over her lap.

Audie squeezed his eyes shut as hard as he could, trying to blot out the experience if it was at all possible. His mother said something, but Audie had closed his ears, too. A second later a resounding SMACK sounded in the room. Kevin flinched as he saw his mother’s hand flatten Audie’s butt cheeks with a mighty spank.

Audie didn’t hear the smack, but he felt the sting. A conflict arose immediately. On the one hand he wanted his little brother to think that Audie was paying the same price for bringing home a note as did Kevin. However, Audie knew that he wasn’t, really. His mom’s hand spank had stung, but Audie knew it was not nearly as bad as the belt he had given Kevin. He knew that he would have to fake a scream if Kevin was to believe his big brother was really being punished. However, there was Uncle Jack to consider. Audie resented being spanked in front of a stranger, especially bare naked, and he wanted to show the man he wasn’t a sissy and could take what he was getting without sounding like one. He dickered with his conscience long enough that the second spank landed before he could make a decision.

SMACK! Again it stung, but not so bad he had to yell. He did tighten his butt-cheek muscles and flinch, though. He again debated with himself whether or not to yell. He couldn’t come to a decision and the third spank hit.

SLAP! "OW!" Audie did yell, involuntarily. That spank had landed right on top of the previous one and hurt. Audie realized that that involuntary ouch precluded a louder yell later. That would surely sound as fake as it was. Audie screwed his eyes shut even tighter and waited.

SMACK! Lower down, away from the other spanks. Audie remained silent, assuaging his embarrassment taking precedence over his brother’s lesson. So be it, he decided, his thought processes dulled by the sting in his rump.

SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! Even those rapid-fire spanks didn’t sting enough to force a yell and now Audie was determined not to show Uncle Jack he was a sissy. He just took it.

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! Audie clamped his jaw shut as hard as he could to blot out the sting. He remained silent.

"OK, get up," his mother finally said, the spanking over. Audie opened his eyes and stood up, letting his shirt fall down and cover him in front. He stood facing his mother and started to rub his little bare fanny with both hands. He didn’t say anything.

"Are you going to bring another note home from your teacher?" his mom asked, trying to prompt a reply. Audie later regretted his petulant retort. He should have simply said "No" and pulled up his pants. However the unfairness of it all, his total innocence, having Uncle Jack see everything, and his disgust at himself for not yelling for Kevin’s sake all combined to block his reasoning powers just long enough for him to blurt out sass. He stopped rubbing and held out his hands, palms up.

"How can I tell?" he grumbled, "since my teacher sends notes home at random whether or not I did anything to deserve them. I can’t control what she does!"

"Audie!" his mother yelled. Immediately Audie realized what he had done. He had completely negated whatever lesson he wanted his little brother to get out of this sad experience. He was appalled at himself.

Uncle Jack spoke up. "Well," he said, "it appears that that spanking didn’t do the job."

"What’s it to you?" Audie spit out, outraged at this strange man sticking his nose in Audie’s affairs.

"AUDIE!" his mother yelled at that. Audie immediately realized that things had gone from bad to intolerable. Now he had pissed off the Uncle Jack. Would the man get up and leave without forking over money for tomorrow’s dinner? What had Audie done?

"Harrumph," Uncle Jack snorted. "What you need, young man, is another spanking, with a belt this time. That’s what my mommy gave me when I was your age and I didn’t give her any backtalk after that. No sir!"

"Go ahead and give it to him, then," his mother said, exasperated at her son’s unacceptable behavior and apprehensive that she would lose her customer, too. The latter fear predominated.

"Very, well," Uncle jack said and stood up. He reached for his belt buckle and unfastened it. He grabbed the buckle end and rapidly jerked the belt out, Schliiip, SNAP! He folded it in half and sat back down, grabbing Audie’s arm as he did so.

"Ommmmm!" Kevin intoned.

Audie’s mind was racing. And he had thought getting spanked in front of Uncle Jack was embarrassing! Now he was going to get spanked BY Uncle Jack. A thousand times worse. Then he heard his little brother’s comment and remembered. Well, he had wanted Kevin to learn a lesson, too, and had flubbed it with his mother. Now maybe if he got it with a belt just like Kevin had, the lesson would take. For that reason, and no other, he didn’t resist as Uncle Jack pulled Audie to him and forced him down in position over his knee. Audie grabbed the chair legs and gripped tight. Again he squeezed shut his eyes, trying to blot out what was going to happen and flinched his fanny. Uncle Jack raised his hand and brought the belt down hard.

CRACK! "OWIE!" Audie screamed. No fake that one. The sting of the belt was infinitely worse than his mother’s hand. Audie felt the pain shoot upward.

CRACK! "Ayyyie!" Audie screamed. "It hurts!"

"It’s supposed to," Uncle Jack responded, just as Audie had done when his brother had made the same compliant. Audie didn’t think of that, however, his whole world had shrunk to just include him and his blazing rump. The sting spread to his jaws. To Audie it seemed like a toothache.

CRACK! "EEEEEEE!" Audie yelled.

"Am I getting through to you, boy?" Uncle Jack asked.

"Yes, yes, yes," Audie yelled. "It hurts, it hurts!"

"Good," exclaimed Uncle Jack. "Here’s another."

CRACK! "OUCH!" Audie yelled and felt his eyes getting wet. The sting of that one had forced tears out. Uncle Jack continued.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! "Ah, AH, AH!" Audie yelled and started crying. "Hoo, hoo, bwahhh! Stop! Please! Enough!"

"Not yet," Uncle Jack yelled to be heard above Audie’s crying. "That was for the note. This is for the sass."

CRACK! "Ah, HA! OWIE! OW!" yelled Audie.

Kevin stared at his big brother getting whipped good and hard. He recalled what it had felt like when Audie was giving it to him. Without feeling a trace of revenge, he grimaced as he saw his poor brother’s bare fanny flatten with each stroke. He noticed the red stripes starting to form all over Audie’s butt and thighs. He was tempted to rush the man and pull his arm away, but was too scared at what would happen after that. He just watched, with eyes wide open. A tear started to form in his left eye. He let it and it dripped down his cheek.

CRACK! went the belt. CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! "OK," yelled Audie, "OK, OK, OW! OW! It hurts! No more! No more! PLEEESE!"

Uncle Jack stopped at that point and dropped the belt to the floor. Using both hands he tried to lift Audie upright. Audie, however, concentrating only on his blazing bottom failed to let go his spastic grip on the chair legs. "Let go!" Uncle Jack commanded. "Get up!"

Finally realizing that the spanking was over, Audie cautiously let go of the chair and allowed himself to be picked up by Uncle Jack who stood, grasping the crying boy’s armpits. Lifting Audie off the floor as he stood, Uncle Jack shook him slightly. "Stop that crying!" he ordered.

Audie got a whiff of the man’s breath. It was foul. That was what booze smelled like an hour or so after it was drunk, but Audie didn’t know that, only that it smelled bad. Wanting no more of that Audie tried his best to stop bawling. No good, his eyes had a will of their own. All Audie could do was snuff up his nose. "Bwaaa, ha ha ha," he wailed.

"Stop it, I said," Uncle Jack ordered again and slapped Audie’s behind with his right hand.

"Ow" Audie said, but he didn’t yell it, it was more of a surprise than a hurt, although it did sting, coming, as it did, on top of the belt welts.

Audie tried, but he just couldn’t stop crying. Instead he started rubbing his blazing buns. That only made it worse, so he stopped and stared at Uncle Jack, no pleasant expression on his face, the typical glare of a just-spanked little boy still stinging from his lesson.

Uncle Jack returned the scowl. "Go to your room, then," he ordered, seeing that Audie continued to cry. He bent down and picked up his belt from the floor. He shook it at Audie. "Unless you want some more."

"NO!" Audie managed to let out between sobs. He reached down and pulled up his underpants which, miraculously, had not been kicked off, although his jeans had. He picked up his pants in his left hand and carried them with him as he walked to his and Kevin’s room, rubbing the seat of his underpants with his right hand and continuing to cry, at the pain and the humiliation and the unfairness of it all. Kevin scurried after him.

When the two boys disappeared into their room, Uncle Jack slipped his belt into his pants loops but didn’t buckle it. He turned to the woman seated in front of him. "What about us, now?" he asked. The two adults retired to the other bedroom.

In the kids’ bedroom, Audie dropped his pants on the floor, flung himself face down on the bed and buried his nose in the pillow. He cried hard, rubbing his sore fanny through his underpants. Kevin laid down beside his big brother.

"That must have hurt bad," he said, trying to comfort Audie as best he could. Audie just continued to cry in the pillow. "Here, let me rub it better." Kevin pushed away Audie’s hands and pulled Audie’s underpants down below his buttocks. He rubbed the redness lightly.

At that Audie managed to force himself to stop bawling. He lifted his head of the pillow and snuffed, loudly. "That feels good, Kevie," he said. "Thanks." The two of them laid next to each other until they fell asleep. Sometime in the night Audie woke up. The light was still on. He pushed Kevin’s arms away and got up to turn it off. He heard noises coming from the other bedroom. Uncle Jack was spending the night, it seemed. Audie flipped the light off and then in the darkness shucked off his shirt and underpants and climbed back in bed. He didn’t try to undress his brother. He did manage to remember to set the alarm.

When it went off in the morning, Audie woke instantly. He had fallen asleep quite a bit before the usual time and had gotten more sleep than usual.. Kevin, too, was cat-like that morning. Good thing, too, because Audie remembered that today was the day they were eating at Greg’s and they hadn’t taken a bath the night before. "Oh, crap!" he exclaimed when he realized the omission. Now, it was quite likely that neither boy needed a bath. Not really. They’d both had one the day before yesterday, but Audie wanted to make the best possible impression on Greg’s parents and there would be no time for a bath after school if the three of them were to ride the bus directly after class was out.

"What?" Kevin asked.

"We forgot our baths last night. Cummon, we gotta hurry." he dragged his brother into the bathroom and pushed aside the various detritus left by his mother and Uncle Jack, not even seeing it. Amid constant complaints from Kevin, Audie managed to get the water run and the clothes off his brother and the two of them scrubbed each other thoroughly. Kevin looked. Audie’s welts were better, but still showed. He didn’t say anything about that. Audie dried them both off and dressed Kevin in his ordinary school clothes. Audie, himself dressed in his best. He then laid out Kevin’s best clothes on the bed.

Turning to his brother, he shook him slightly to make sure he had the boy’s complete attention. "Look, Kevie," he explained. "After lunch at school you have to come home until it’s time to go on the bus. You can’t hang around the schoolyard or they’ll think you’re cutting classes..."

Kevin screwed up his face at that. "What’s ’cutting classes’ mean, Audie?" he asked.

"Not going to school when you’re supposed to," Audie snapped the answer, irritated at the interruption and afraid that Kevin wouldn’t remember what was important. "Forget that, Kevie. Concentrate on what I’m telling you. You have to come home after lunch. I want you to undress and put on these clothes here on the bed. Think you can do that?"

Kevin scowled. "Of course, I can," he spit out, "I can dress myself!"

"Good," Audie said with a slight nod of his head. "Then put these on and be back at school at 3 o’clock. that’s when the big hand is on the 12 and the little hand is on the 3. Got that."

"I can tell time, too," Kevin snapped.

"Good." Audie answered, not taking time to be more patient with his brother. The morning was so hectic! "Common, let’s go."

"What about breakfast, Audie," Kevin groused. "I’m hungry!"

Audie gave his brother a pained look. "I’m sorry, Kevie, but there’s no time. If we are late to school we’ll both get notes... KRIPES! The note!" Suddenly remembering that he had to return the cursed note to his teacher all signed and everything, Audie’s heart sank. He would just have to tell the teacher his mother forgot, and hope he didn’t have to stay after school for that. That would just kill everything! Why was life so complicated?

"What are you going to do, Audie?" Kevin wailed, his hunger forgotten, what with the threat of getting a note himself for being late and worry about his brother getting spanked again for not having his signed.

"Cross that bridge when we come to it," Audie responded. What else could he do? However, as the boys made for the door, there was the signed note taped to the doorknob. Audie sighed in relief.

They even made it to school on time. Audie gave his teacher the note and told her that he was punished for it without going into the details. The teacher smiled and didn’t press for them. Greg sat with them at lunch and made sure that they hadn’t forgotten about dinner.

"No chance!" Audie exclaimed.

"No chance!" Kevin copied his brother.

"Good," Greg replied with a smile, noticing that the other two boys were wolfing down lunch, including the brown bread that most kids threw away. He wondered at that, but said nothing. After Kevin and Audie had cleaned their plates Audie drew a note out of his backpack and handed it to Kevin. Kevin looked at in horror, but Audie quickly explained.

"I wrote this for Mother, Kevie. Put it on the table before you leave so she knows where we are if she comes home."

"Right!" Kevin exclaimed, the relief in his voice noticeable. Greg was filled with curiosity at all this. Surely Audie’s mother knew where they were going to be this evening. She had to give permission, didn’t she? And why was Kevin so relieved at that? However, something told Greg that now was not the time to pry. He wanted to take no chances with the visit. Maybe the note was just a reminder.

Lunch eaten, Kevin departed for home. Audie sent up a silent prayer that his little brother would not screw up. He looked so little as he turned and walked away!

Audie had a hard time concentrating for the rest of the afternoon, worrying about Kevin. Around 2:00 he remembered that he had forgotten to tell Kevin where the busses were! He didn’t hear any of the remaining lessons.

(to be continued)", "pools_count": 1, "title": "The Tale of Two Little Bastards - Chapter 3", "deleted": "f", "public": "t", "mimetype": "text/plain", "pagecount": "1", "rating_id": "2", "rating_name": "Adult", "ratings": [ { "content_tag_id": "3", "name": "Violence", "description": "Mild violence", "rating_id": "1" }, { "content_tag_id": "4", "name": "Sexual Themes", "description": "Erotic imagery, sexual activity or arousal", "rating_id": "2" } ], "submission_type_id": "12", "type_name": "Writing - Document", "guest_block": "f", "friends_only": "f", "comments_count": "1", "views": "198" }