Jed too eager to finish his chores so he could go play with Hannibal at the river ran, paying little attention to anything and failing to heed his Pa telling him to slow down. Just at the top of the hill leading down towards the house, he fell heavily. He dropped the basket he was carrying and all the eggs in it tumbled out, with well over half of them breaking as they scattered over the stony grass. Horrified, he scrambled to his feet and hurriedly picked up the ones still in one piece, realising as he did so, that his stumble would mean they'd have no eggs left to sell. He had also torn a hole in the left knee of his new pants, which meant his ma would have to patch them. He knew he should have been more careful, he was old enough to understand the tense conversations about the poor harvest and how that meant money was tight enough that every bit they could get was important.
A lump settled in his throat as his Father caught up to him. He kept his head down until his Pa said roughly. "Look at me." His Pa took in the ruined eggs and the tear at his knee and shook his head with anger in his expression which was matched by the tone in his voice as he waved down at the small shed just to the right of their house. "Go wait for me in the woodshed, while I go explain things to your Ma. Leave the eggs! We don't want to lose what we got left. Don't run, but be quick about it."
Jed knew better than to argue with his Pa and swallowing hard, put his basket down, before walking quickly although careful not to break into a run towards the dreaded structure and entered into the gloomy building nervously.
He hated it in here, not just because of what it meant for his backside, but also because the skittering under the sawdust and wood shavings always made him itch and squirm.
He positioned himself over the bench in the far corner. He wriggled nervously as he waited, torn between fear at what was to come and desperately wanting the punishment to start so it would be over.
Finally after what to his mind seemed like hours, but was probably no more than ten minutes he heard his Father's heavy boot steps. He didn't look back as they came up close behind him and stopped. He tried to slow his rapid breathing, but failed, although to his relief, he managed to stay still despite the swish of the birch not far from his ear.
He felt his Pa's hand rest on his lower back as he leant into his ear, speaking gruffly and Jed shivered slightly, he hated that tone of voice. "You were very careless, son. Now I ain't fond of doin' this, but it don't seem like just tellin' you is enough, or you'd have listened when I told you to slow down. Your Ma ain't happy you tore a good pair of pants either." The edge of disappointment in his father's tone and the thought of his mother's displeasure brought him to the edge of tears.
"I'm sorry, Pa..."
"Would've been better if you'd just been careful." With that he pulled Jed's pants and underwear down and also lifted his shirt up out of the way. The cold air on his bare backside and lower back brought Jed out in goosebumps.
After a few moments the hand on Jed's back was removed and his Pa stepped back. Jed could feel his Father's eyes on him, despite not being able to see them. He waited in tense anticipation for the punishment to begin. These few moments before the start always made the hairs on his arms prickle. "I think ten, as this isn't the first time. Now stay as still as you can. Nod if you understand."
Jed did as he was told, ten was worse than he'd feared, but perhaps he should have expected it. He had been warned about running when carrying anything breakable on several occasions and he'd never really paid that much attention, although he certainly would from now on.
He braced himself for the first sting of the birch. As it landed, he worried his lip, but made no sound, determined to face the punishment squarely. Even at the second blow he managed to subdue a yelp, but as the third landed, he started to cry. The knowledge that he should have listened as well as the pain, overcoming his attempts to be brave. He managed to stay mostly still as his hands gripped the bench tightly. His Father said nothing except for counting the strokes out loud. Jed was relieved his Pa never expected him to keep count, as he knew some parents did, because he was sure he'd not be able to.
Once it was over, his father gently eased his pants back up before pulling him into a hug and gently stroking his hair. "It's over. You did well, Jed. I hope we don't have to repeat this lesson, son."
He shook his head as he buried his hot, wet, face in his Father's broad chest, struggling to stop crying. He was embarrassed, feeling he should be able to take a deserved whupping without tears. His Pa however didn't seem either surprised or disappointed and simply held him stroking his back gently.
When he finally managed to stop crying, after a few shaky breaths he pulled away to look up at his Pa. He had an idea as to how he could make up for breaking the eggs and for the damage to his pants. "I'm real sorry Pa. If I don't have breakfast or supper, you can sell what I would have had. I know that ain't gonna bring us much, so I was thinkin' now that I'm nearly six, I could help Mr Simpson with his harvest, cos he's offerin' to pay. He's wantin' older boys, but I bet I could get Hannibal to convince him to let me work for him too."
He looked down then to study his hands, concentrating on not rubbing his throbbing backside. A sigh from his Pa brought Jed's gaze back up and he saw an expression that he didn't really understand cross his father's face, just before he was pulled into another tight hug.
With his face comfortably buried in his father's shirt as his Pa gently rubbed his back,Jed felt maybe his Pa was pleased and would agree with his idea, but after a few moments he said gently. "I appreciate the offer Jed, but I think your Ma would probly use the birch on me, if I allowed you to do it."
"She wouldn't dare Pa!" Jed replied automatically, his face still against his Pa's chest, but he knew that if his Ma was mad enough, she might well do just that.
"Well, son, I ain't gonna risk it. We'll work somethin' out. Now, C'mon, she''ll have breakfast ready and you know how she gets if we keep her waitin'."
He moved away from Jed, but took his hand and led him out of the gloomy building back into the sunshine. Jed blinked in the bright light and wiped his sticky face. As they walked towards the house another idea struck him. "Pa, maybe Hannibal could convince Ma to let me work for Mr Simpson. He always manages to talk me and the other boys into doin' what he wants." Jed's already throbbing backside suddenly felt even more uncomfortable at the memory of what that sometimes meant and he rubbed at it carefully which drew a small chuff of laughter from his father. "I don't think even Hannibal's powers would convince your Ma. She can out stubborn most folk. If I didn't know better, I'd swear she'd been born a Curry." His father laughed again as he ruffled his hair and shooed him ahead, towards the front door. "Now you'd better hurry and eat your breakfast, or Hannibal will be going to the river without you."
Jed looked up at his father in some surprise. " I can still go? I ain't grounded?"
"No, son, don't see no need to labor the point, when you've learnt the lesson already."
Despite his sore behind, Jed thought today might not turn out so bad after all. "Thank-you, Pa! I might catch us some fish for supper." Jed hoped he would as that might go some way to make up to his mother for tearing his new pants.
XXX
"I ain't doin it."
Jed unable to bear the feeling of even the soft ground on his sore butt was standing, wriggling slightly in an attempt to ease some of the throbbing. Hannibal was sprawled on the grass and his amused expression at Jed's discomfort faded as he said. "Aww, Jed, you won't get into trouble. Old Man Jackson's got so many apples he won't even notice. They mostly just end up on the ground anyways 'cos he can't use 'em all. Seems a real shame they just get eaten by the birds when we'd enjoy 'em more."
They were in their favorite fishing spot and Hannibal had been trying for at least ten minutes to convince Jed to go along with him. But for once Jed was resisting, despite finding it difficult. "Your Pa don't whup, he just talks at us till we can't bear it no more. Earache ain't as painful as my butt is today. I ain't doin' it and you ain't gonna change my mind this time."
Hannibal glared at him and humphed and despite his almost horizontal position, stuck his chest out with his hands down at his sides. Jed hated it when he looked like that and set his jaw, determined not to be persuaded. "Well then, I'll just get John to help me, he ain't no scaredy cat. Probly cos he's not a baby like you. Maybe I oughta ask him if he wants to be my partner, if you ain't gonna be fun no more."
Jed still a bit overwhelmed by the morning's events, realised to his horror that he was about to cry. In an attempt to fight the tears, he sat down heavily forgetting in his worry, about his tender ass. He yelped at the pain as his butt connected with the ground. Desperate to hide how upset he was, he turned his back to his friend, gritting his teeth in some frustration at his cousin's lack of understanding.
Jed was very worried that Hannibal would decide to carry out his threat. Was Hannibal getting bored with needing to slow down to make sure Jed wasn't left trailing behind? John being the same age as Hannibal had no trouble keeping up with him. He cleared his throat and hurriedly wiped his cheeks managing to stop any more tears falling. "Maybe you should. Cos I ain't gonna do it." He sniffed quietly hoping Hannibal wouldn't notice as that would really convince him that Jed was still a baby.
He started as he felt his friend's hand on his shoulder. "Jed, what's wrong? Ain't normal you takin' a whuppin' so much to heart."
At the gentle tone in his cousin's voice, Jed felt tears start again and he couldn't stop them, so instead simply kept his head turned away. "Ain't the whuppin'." He stopped to clear his throat and wondered for a moment if it was right to tell his cousin what was wrong, but maybe if he understood, Hannibal might be more patient. "Just my folks is real worried about money and I don't wanna make it worse."
Hannibal's expression softened even more before he smiled and patted Jed's knee. " I guess I kin understand that."
Jed's backside was throbbing again and he shuffled onto one cheek to try and ease it. Hannibal laughed before offering him a hand up, which he took gratefully. He stood carefully before walking over to his fishing pole, eager to try and get back to their normal conversations. He'd cried enough for one day.
They fished in silence for several minutes before Hannibal laughed and said. "Besides John ain't as good at followin' instructions as you. Remember when he got stuck in that tunnel, 'cos he went left instead of right? He ain't such a big fan of Ma's cookin' as you are neither, so he ain't exactly partner material. I bet I can convince the old man to part with some apples without us needin' to steal 'em."
Jed was about to reply when he felt a tug on his line. "Hannibal, Hannibal, think I got somethin' gimme a hand!"
Together they pulled, hanging onto each other to stop themselves being dragged into the river. Finally they landed a large fish that would do both their families a good supper.
"Our folks is gonna be real pleased, Jed. Guess you and me is meant to be partners. John woulda ended up in the river and that fish would be halfway to Missouri!"
XXX