"Master Bruce, will you please come in here this instant!"
Alfred said his voice stressed and urgent and for good reason. There the butler stood in the kitchen, arms crossed tapping his foot impatiently amid a cataclysmic sight; smashed jelly jars and peanut butter smeared on the counter and floor followed by a trail of small sticky handprints covered the walls. A few moments of silence passed when a dark brown haired boy peeked around the doorway, his own face and hands sticky with purple jelly.

" Yes Mr. Alfred?" he said timidly.

"Dare I ask you why the kitchen is in such a state?"
Alfred waited but little Bruce said nothing, Alfred then realized that maybe the small boy of six years had not understood the question.
" Master Bruce, can you tell me how the kitchen got so horribly messy?" he restated. The small boy shook his head.

" No."

" No?" Alfred repeated. "Do you mean to tell me that you have no idea why the kitchen is in shambles?"

" I...I don't know...maybe a bear came in looking for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich."

" A bear Master Bruce?"

" Yes a bear."

Alfred grimaced; this was not the first time that young Bruce had told a story to get out of trouble. It seemed ever since the death of both his parents the young boy had turned to lying or making up exaggerated stories and excuses for his misdeeds.
The kind family butler had always let it go since the poor boy had experienced such a terrible loss, and did what ever he could to make life bearable for him.
But the trusted butler was quickly seeing the moral decay of everything Bruce's parents had instilled in him, and Alfred now solely responsible for the child's welfare knew what had to be done.

" Master Bruce, you know as well as I do that a bear did NOT wreck this kitchen, just like last week, a Tiger did not eat your homework. What you are doing young man is lying to me, and I will not allow it in this house anymore. Now go wash the jelly stains from your face and wait for me in the Library.
Young Bruce was surprised at the butler's sudden resolve and the fact that he did not readily believe his lie like he usually did.

Alfred left the boy to ponder and made his way to the library, but not before stopping by his own quarters to retrieve a certain item, but as he began to walk to the Library to correct the young boy, he began to second-guess himself.

"Am I doing the right thing?...maybe I am being too hard on the boy." Alfred gripped the leather strap that was dangling from his hand and opened the door to the Library to find Bruce already there sitting on the arm of a leather chair swinging his legs. The sticky purple jam still clinging to his face and hands.

" Master Bruce, did I not tell you to wash up?" Alfred said trying hard to keep his voice steady.

" Yeah but...I couldn't find the soap...I think I accidentally flushed it down the toilet." the boy said casually swiping his hands on a nearby pillow.
At this point Alfred knew he was about to do the right thing.

" Master Bruce I don't understand why you seem so intent on breaking the house rules when I KNOW that you know how to behave better than this, but I promise you it is going to stop today!"

Alfred stepped forward, and grabbed Bruce up around his small waist, and briskly put him over his knee. The young boy was completely caught off guard by the butlers action.

" A-Alfred what are you doing?"

" I'm giving you something you have been needing for quite some time now."
Alfred then tugged Bruce's shorts down to his ankles.
" I'm going to give you an old fashion spanking for lying to me."
The butler then wasted no time and cracked the leather strap against the boy's un-expecting backside.
Bruce let out a cry of utter shock and before his mind could even register the pain of what had happened. He then heard another firm crack, followed this time with a stinging burn.

Alfred held the boy firmly in place across his lap to make sure that his aim was true. The old English butler knew he needed to discipline the boy...but did not want to injure him in any way, So he took extra care to make each stroke landed perfectly on the crying boys rosy bottom.
As the burn began to build, Bruce began to sob suddenly feeling very guilty for treating Alfred so poorly by being so naughty.

The Butler could tell by the sobbing that the boy was crying with deep remorse, and decided that Bruce had learned his lesson and finished up his spanking with five more hard smacks with the leather strap.
Even though the spanking had ended Bruce continued to sob on Alfred's lap, and Alfred let him.
He knew the poor child had many tears to shed that were long overdue and gave him the time he needed to cry them out in the secure safety of his lap.
After a few more minuets passed Alfred helped the boy to his feet and gently put a finger under the chin of the tear stained Bruce.

" I want you to know Master Bruce that I care very much about you and what you do. You are a good boy, and it's my job to make sure you stay that way." Alfred gave a smile and Bruce burst into more tears and threw his arms around the butler and began to sob hard.

" I...I'm sorry Alfred."

" There, there, Master Bruce...its alright... its alright."