After she was finished, she held me, weeping, on her lap for some time. I was terrified the spanking would continue, but in fact, my aunt was just waiting for me to stop sobbing before setting me back on the ground, adding that I had best mind her in the future, if I knew what was good for me. I would have agreed to anything at this point. I’m sure I just cried – I don’t remember saying anything else, just loud sobbing.

In retrospect, it must have been very frustrating for my aunt to have to deal with me in this way, and she would have much preferred my mother to get her life together and raise me herself.

Jim was not spared the spoon either on that day – in fact, I’m sure he got it worse than usual because of my insolence. I heard him crying in the living room shortly after my own performance was finished. I listened to his spanking through the wall of the bathroom while I was examining my own bottom in the bathroom mirror.