My aunt had worked for many years in South Africa, and had raised the boys by caning them when they misbehaved. She didn’t have to cane them often but when she did, it was a severe dose of discipline.
Not long after the move, I spent a month with my aunt and cousins. On one occasion, we spent a whole day goofing off and failed to get any of the household chores done by the time my aunt got home. She was furious that we had not done our jobs, especially as she had her book club coming over that night and she wanted the house perfect.
There was a mad rush to get things partially done, but the boys were dead silent throughout dinner. After her book club left, my aunt told the three of us that our actions were unacceptable, and that in the morning we would be punished for our failures. Then she told us to pick a cane each and put it into soak overnight.
The boys started to plead for mercy (while I had no idea what was going on) but my aunt quickly shot down their protests with the threat of more strokes if they didn’t obey.
I followed my cousins into the basement, where there was a bucket with a number of canes in it. They all looked about the same to me but the boys took their time picking one out, tears by now running down their faces. They then filled a taller bucket (almost a tube) with water and put each cane in the tube to soak. I just followed their lead. The boys explained that in the morning we all would be caned and would be in distress for at least several days from the strokes.
I had been spanked before with a hairbrush, paddle and strap, but I had never caned. Examining the implement, it didn’t look that imposing to me. Boy, was I wrong!
The next morning before breakfast we were told to get our canes and head to the study. They boys began to cry and plead again, but were quickly quietened with a stern look from my aunt. I went with them and picked up my cane, which was considerably heavier now that it had soaked all night.
Everyone shuffled to the study where she my aunt waiting. She took the cane from the youngest boy and told him to get ready and in position. Once bent over, my cousin grabbed the lower rung on the stool and began to cry much harder.
My aunt tapped the wet cane against her boy’s bottom and as he tensed up, she raised it up in the air and swung it down on the middle of his bottom with a loud crack. My let out a scream as his legs did a little dance in the air.
The next stroke hit lower than the first and the boy let out a shout and his whole body trembled as tears and snot began to fill his face.
The next two stokes each fell lower on his bottom He begged his mother to stop, protesting that he had learned his lesson, but another hard stroke landed at the base of his buttocks, right on his ‘sit spot’, and he went frantic; crying, twisting and kicking his legs as his whole body shivered.
My aunt let her youngest recover a bit, then announced that the next stroke would be the last. She tapped his legs again, ordering him to spread them wide, as he begged for mercy. None of that stopped the cane, as it flew through the air . He let out an agonising cry as the stroke landed.
Finally, his mother helped him to feet, his legs trembling, and ordered him not to touch his bottom. The boy danced from foot to foot, then his mother put him facing against the wall .
Her oldest boy was then told to prepare himself. He bent over the stool and took hold of the lower rung. His first stroke also landed in the middle of his bottom but he showed no reaction for several seconds until he howled and kicked his legs wildly in the air. The next stroke landed just a bit below the first.
As she tapped his legs, As his legs trembled, which fascinated me. The next two strokes were each a bit lower and were much harder than what she had given her other boy. After each one, his whole body shook and shivered as tears.
He begged ‘Mother’ not to hit so hard, but that clearly had no effect on her. Her next stroke smacked him and he frantically kicked in the air as he let out a loud shout.
He too got a crossover stroke and bawled like a baby afterwards. My aunt had to help him move to stand against the wall .
I knew I was next and was already crying. My aunt helped me off with my nightgown and left me standing next to the stool. I could see, even through teary eyes, that the boys were gazing . My aunt ordered me to get into position.
She explained that I would get three strokes of the cane and that it would be very painful to teach me a lesson. She also told me that if she ever had to cane me again, I would get a full six strokes.
I braced for the first stoke and then heard it hit the centre of my bottom. It was so forceful that if pushed me forward against the stool. It took a few seconds before the pain registered and then I went ballistic in agony. I thought for sure I was going to die and that was after the first one.
My aunt told me to hold on tight and to spread my legs for the next stroke. I glanced at the boys who were looking over their shoulders at me and were. The next stroke hit right on my sit spot and I almost fainted with the pain. I began babbling incoherently but that did not stop my aunt from telling me to spread my legs once again.
She told me to get ready and her cane landed across the other two welts with a wave of incredible pain. I felt a dribble of pee run down my leg, as my aunt remarked that I had apparently learned my lesson.
She moved me against the wall and told us all not to move for 30 minutes.
After the 30 minutes was up we were finally allowed to get dressed and leave. I grabbed my nightgown and ran for my bedroom. My bottom was very sore that sitting was impossible and I just flopped face down on to my bed.
Later, we were called downstairs to have lunch. All of us children were wearing sweat pants as anything tighter would have been too painful to put on. We all ate standing up, then shuffled back to our rooms.
It took about a day and half before I could sit down and that was still an uncomfortable proposition. I truly learned what a real caning was all about that day, and needless to say the punishment never had to be repeated.