Spring of '62

It was the spring of 1962.  I remember that vividly, because it was just
before eighth grade graduation, and just after I had received my
acceptance to the high school of my choice.  To make matters perfect,
Frank...the year-older, major crush of my life...had finally asked me out.
It was going to be my first date...and believe me, it was bought at great
price!

Dad didn't want to let me go on single dates until I was 15.  But Mom
talked and talked to him, convincing him that even though I was only 12 ,
I was very mature and responsible, and that Frank was a nice boy.  We had
known Frank's family forever, so Dad couldn't pretend he wasn't sure of
Frank's credentials.  It was just that Frank was so tall for his age that
he seemed older than 14.  Finally Dad relented under continuous pressure
from Mom and me, and the date was accepted!

We were only going to a school play...it was being presented at the high
school to which I had been accepted.  The school was only six blocks
away...so there wasn't even any need to worry about transportation.  Frank
and I could take the shortcut through the park, and be there and home in a
flash.  The play was scheduled to end at 10:50PM, with the walk, and maybe
a quick stop for a lime phosphate at Sullivan's, I was to be home by
11:30.  I wrinkled my nose at that, but Dad was firm.

"Your Mother and I are going to let you go, Darla, but there are rules to
follow, and you will obey them, do you understand?"

"Yes, Daddy," I sighed.

"We trust you to be a good girl and we trust Frank to see that the rules
are obeyed also...all right?"

"Yes, Daddy, yes Mom."  I rolled my eyes and left the room.

The date was the next week, and I was in a flurry of anticipation.  Mom
helped me pick what to wear, showed me how to put on my first lipstick,
held my hand and calmed my nerves.  When the big night arrived, and Frank
rang the doorbell, I nearly jumped out of my skin in fright!  Frank looked
so handsome in his dark suit, and he even brought me a little nosegay...he
said he wanted everything to be nice.  (I think his Mother made him, but I
never asked...especially after what happened.)

It was a warm spring evening, and I was on Cloud 9 as we walked through
the park to the school.  The play?  I have no idea what it was about, or
whether it was entertaining. What I remember was the heat from Frank's
body, and wondering if he was going to try to kiss me, and if he did..what
should I do?

I also remember that they held the curtain because one of the lead girls
had the flu, and the nun who was directing stepped out onto the stage to
tell us that another girl would be playing her part.  It took about 15
minutes for all of that, so the play didn't end till 11:05.  We were
caught in the press of the crowd leaving, and were separated for a while,
finally finding one another in the vestibule of the school's theatre. 
Frank grabbed my arm and steered me out the side door.

"Whew! What a crowd!" I exclaimed, struggling to straighten my wrap.

"No kidding...want to go to Sulivan's?" he asked, looking down at me with
shining eyes.  "We'll just have a quick soda or something...it's not our
fault the play was late, right?"

"Um, yes, right," I stammered, not at all sure that it was, but not
wanting my evening with Frank cut short.  We raced to the local soda shop,
only four blocks away, and Frank ordered for both of us.  I nearly
swooned, I thought that was so romantic!

I forgot all about the time...I was busy studying Frank's eyes, his smile,
the way his hand clenched and unclenched around the base of the soda
glass.  Not until he glanced up at the clock behind me and I saw his face
go white that I was brought back to reality with a sickening thud. 
12:10AM, said the clock.

Frank tossed money on the table, grabbed my hand, and pulled me from the
booth.  

"Your parents are going to kill me" he stuttered, "and then MY parents are
going to kill me!"  We raced the two blocks to my house...I was relieved
to see that all the lights weren't on.  Just the porch light and a dim one
in the living room...Mom must have left it on so I wouldn't stumble.  We
were standing on the bottom step, saying a hurried goodnight (no thought
of a kiss now!)  when the screen door banged open, startling us both.

"Darla!  Frank!  Come in here please!"

It was my Mother...I had almost expected to see Dad, so I was even more
surprised.  My stomach clenched. I knew this wasn't going to be good.

In a moment we were standing in the dim living room.  The ottoman from
Dad's easy chair was in the center of the room, and I thought that was
odd. Mom was an "everything in its place" person.  Mom looked like a
thundercloud.

"Darla..."

"Mom, before you say anything, I just want to tell you that the play was
late, and then..."

"And then you went on to Sullivan's, even though you had promised me you
would obey your curfew!.  Darla, I thought you knew I went to bat for you
with Daddy on this!  I stood up for you, I told Daddy you were mature
enough to go on this date, and..."

"Mrs. Davidson," Frank broke in, "it really wasn't..." She turned on him in
a fury.

"Young man, I have already spoken to your parents.  Forty minutes ago, in
fact.  They are in perfect agreement with my decisions in this matter, and
they will elaborate when you get home." I saw Frank's adam's apple move as
he gulped.

"In the meantime, I am going to deal with Darla, and  you are going to
listen in to what you have in store.  I want you to march over to that
corner of the room, young man, turn around and face the wall!"  Frank
looked startled, but slowly did as he was told, muttering "Yes, Ma'am" as
he went.  My cheeks had started to flame as I began to put this all
together...the ottoman, the "deal with Darla" phrase.  I had heard that
dreaded phrase before, but it had been about 6 months ago, and I had sworn
an oath that it would be the last time.  The hideous humiliation of what
my Mother planned began to sink in.

"Oh, Mom, oh no...you can't, you wouldn't, not with Frank, Mom no,
please..." She had taken my wrist and was pulling me over toward the
ottoman.  She stopped in front of it and took me by the shoulders.
"Listen to me, Darla.  I trusted you to act like a young woman, and
instead you acted like a selfish, spoiled, self-centered child.  I stood
up for you, and you let me down.  It is plain to me that you ARE still a
child, as Daddy said, and when I admitted that to him, he let me choose
the method of your punishment."  With that, she reached up onto the mantle
and pulled down the oval wooden paddle used only on very special
occasions.  I was horrified, glancing at Frank's back and my Mother's
scowling face.  Suddenly, I was six again.

"Mommy, no, please...I'll do anything, I'll be grounded for a year. I
won't date till I'm a senior, Mom, please, no...please don't paddle me!" 
I was desperately embarrassed in front of Frank, and I had to try to plead
my way out of it.  To no avail.  Mom grabbed my wrist again, and in a
flash I was across her knees with my skirt up to my waist.

"Panties down, young lady.  You are going to be paddled like a little girl
if that's how you're going to act!" I wailed in misery as she grabbed the
waistband of my new white nylon panties and pulled them down as far as my
stocking garters would allow.  I closed my eyes and prayed to die right
then.  How could I ever face Frank again?  I felt her raise her right arm.

"Mommy!" I begged, sobbing freely, "Mommy please no, I'm sorry, Mommy,
please don't..OWOWOWOW!!!!" I screamed as the wooden paddle came down hard
across both wiggling cheeks.

CRACK WHACK CRACK SPANK CRACK!!!! A flurry of hard spanks with the paddle,
steady and rhythmical, rained down on my bare bottom.  All
self-consciousness gone, I shrieked and kicked my legs, begging for her to
stop.  She held me tighter and continued, paddling my bottom bright red
and the tops of my tender thighs a matching shade. I was sobbing and
chanting

"Mommy, Mommy, please no more, please, I'll be a good girl, I learned my
lesson, Mommy, please????? Thrashing and kicking, I tried to wiggle away
from the paddle, and only succeeded in prolonging my punishment.  When at
last she stopped, I was limp and my bottom was scarlet.  She held me over
her knees for a bit, patting my behind and asking if I had learned
anything about obedience.

"Yes, Mommy, I'm sorry I was bad, and let you down.  It will never happen
again!" I sobbed.  She pulled my panties up.

"Darla, I suspect you HAVE learned something tonight, and I also suspect
you are wondering how you will ever face Frank again, isn't that right?" 
I blushed deeply and nodded.

"Darla, I want you to take Frank's corner.  When she gets there, young
man, I want you to come over here to me." this last part to Frank, who
spun around looking horrified.  I didn't even care that he saw me anymore,
I was as shocked as he was.  Mom couldn't mean that...

"I told you I spoke to your parents, Francis, and they were completely
approving of my decision." I glanced at Frank, who was as white as a
sheet.  I guessed he'd never been spanked in his life, and that he had
been utterly shocked by what he had just heard happen to me!

"Darla Lynn, go to the corner.  When Frank is here with me, you may pull
your panties down again and STAY in the corner with your nose to the wall
for a half-hour, is that clear?"

"Yes, Mommy!" I whispered as I traded places with Frank, careful not to
look up at him. I heard him cross the carpet.

"Young man, you are equally responsible for what happened tonight, and
therefore you should share equally in the punishment!"

"Ma'am?" he started to interrupt.  I winced.

"Do not interrupt me, Francis.  I have known your parents a long time. 
They are horrified at your behavior, and we are in agreement that a good
paddling might be just what you need!  Take your pants down, young man!"

Silence.

"If I have to do it for you, you will get twice what Darla got...is that
clear?"

"Yes, Ma'am" he sputtered, and I heard his belt come unbuckled.

"Good.  Now we'll preserve your modesty for the moment.  Bend over my
knee, Francis.  NOW!!"

"Yes, Ma'am!" His voice cracked as if he were about to cry, and I heard
the swish of material that meant my Mother had hiked her skirt up and
settled Frank across her knees.

"Now then, lift your belly for me a little, young man.  Those underpants
are coming down, so that you can feel the sting of the paddle on your bare
fanny, understand?"  I think Frank was in shock.  I heard his little "Yes,
Ma'am" and the softest sound of briefs being lowered.  I blushed furiously
at the thought of my Frank across my Mother's knees with his pants down. 
Now we were even!  He could never tell about me, because I would tell
about him!

"Let this be a lesson to you, young man.  When you give your word, you 
KEEP your word!"  With that she raised the paddle and delivered a volley
of hard spanks to Frank's bare bottom.

CRACK WHACK CRACK CRACK WHACK SPANK !!!!!!  Frank tried to take it like a
man, but by the fifth crack with the paddle across his bare behind, he
began howling and pleading like I had!

"No, please, Mrs. Davidson, please, no more...Oh OH! it stings,
please...I'll never do it again!!! OW OWOW OOOOOWWWWWWW!!!"

I flinched as I pictured him bucking his bottom over Mom's knee...I knew
how badly that paddle stung!  When she finished, I heard him sobbing as I
had, and my Mother's comforting voice.

"I hope you learned your lesson, young man, because there will be no
repeats of your behavior tonight, do you understand me?"

"Yes, Ma'am!" he cried.

"Now get those pants up and get home.  I think your Father has something
to say to you, Francis!"  I heard his wild scramble to get up and get
dressed, and the screen door bang as he left.

"When your corner time is up, Darla, you may go to bed.  We'll discuss
this further in the morning!"

"Yes, Mommy!" I wept softly, still rubbing my burning 12 year old bottom.