Jack walked outside, locking the front door.
"Hi Jack. Where are Lock, Shock, and Barrel?"
"Locked in a spare room in my house." Jack grumbled.
"Still deciding what to do?"
"No, I just…"
"What DID you do?"
"Um…" Jack knew the mayor probably wouldn't have a problem with him spanking them, but he couldn't bring himself to say it. Had he been too harsh?
"I'm trying to decide if I was too harsh or gave in too easily." Jack said, ignoring his question.
"Too harsh? What did you say? You've scolded them before Jack."
"I didn't scold them. In fact, I don't think I said that much."
"Not scold…" the Mayor said, trying to think. He finally pieced it together and caught up with Jack who, by now, was walking away.
"Jack!" the Mayor called. "What did you do to them?"
"I spanked them Mayor, ok?"
Like Jack had predicted, the Mayor wasn't worried or upset. In fact, he seemed kind of happy.
"Really?"
"Yes. But, they've never been punished like that before."
"That explains so much." the Mayor said.
Jack gave a weak smile. "I just, I gave them probably about ten swats and they were already in tears, but they disobeyed me, they snuck out, they cause mischief day after day, and then Lock kept running his mouth and ugh! I don't know what to do."
Jack walked home and went up to the room where the trio were. Lock, Shock, and Barrel were standing there, hands behind their backs.