by W. Arthur
When I was growing up, my parents would occasionally tell me that if they got punished at school, they would also get punished when they got home, generally with a spanking that was worse than anything they may have experienced at the hands of a teacher or principal. Of course, as the child of parents who said they didn't believe in spanking their kids, I was a bit incredulous, especially as I was spoiled regularly by all four of my grandparents. I simply couldn't imagine these mild-mannered and indulging grandparents ever raising a hand to their children.
And, although I was nobody's idea of a rebel during my school days, I did get into my share of trouble. But, since I was in a school district that had long ago banned corporal punishment, I managed to escape that particular form of remediation, both at school and at home.
However, even as I was enjoying the relative freedom from such an arcane and harsh punishment, it never occurred to me that the 'getting it twice' rule could apply to adults who didn't take their jobs seriously and who married someone who had both a strong work ethic and a deep abiding belief in the power of discipline.
After an uneventful high school career and an equally uneventful two years in college, I enlisted in the Air Force and spent six years bouncing from one base to another while seeing the world and learning different skills. When I met - and fell in love with - Jenna while I was stationed at an Air Force Base in Ohio, I decided the time had come for me to separate from the service. At that time, I was a sergeant working as a data specialist.
Jenna was - and still is - a beautiful but hard-nosed woman. Unlike my family, she and her sister readily believe in the strict application of discipline and punishment, a fact I didn't learn right away. It is truly amazing how a young man can be blinded by love and lust.
Just before my discharge, I asked Jenna to marry me and was completely elated when she said yes. I considered myself extremely fortunate that a find like Jenna would agree to enter into a long-term relationship with a boring and plain-looking guy like me - I still consider myself fortunate, blessed even.
Still, immediately after I placed the half-carat diamond ring on her finger and we kissed to seal the deal, she laid out the conditions of our marriage and subsequent life together. First, she said she would always be in charge of our household and would make all the major decisions. Okay, I thought. Just having been in the military, I was pretty used to having a superior officer over me. How often does an enlisted man get to sleep with his superior officer?
The second condition was that I go to work for her sister Sarah. Sarah owned and operated an up-and-coming graphic design and software company. She needed a data specialist. I agreed to that as well. In fact, I thought this was working out better than I could've hoped. After all, I needed a job, and now I wouldn't have to look for one. What could be better than that?
Six weeks after my discharge, we married in a small ceremony at her church with only her sister, her brother Allan, and a few friends as witnesses - her parents had retired and were living in Ecuador. They sent their regrets along with their best wishes, while we promised to visit as soon as we could.
Three days after the wedding, Jenna returned to her job as senior English teacher and assistant principal at Maplewood Academy, a private high school and perhaps one of the only schools in the Midwest that hadn't completely banned corporal punishment, a fact that seemed irrelevant to me at the time.
I, on the other hand, began my new job as the data analyst for Sarah's company. From day one, I was impressed. I had my own office with an actual window and door - not a cubicle or desk like what I was used to. Likewise, the computer system was definitely latest generation, state-of-the-art. It took me a week to learn how to use it. After that week, Sarah or her brother Allan would give me assignments, then leave me alone to finish them.
Now, I admit no one would ever accuse me of being an overachiever. I put in my hours, do the work I am assigned, go home, drink a beer or two, and relax. In the Air Force, I knew guys who were hungry for promotion and would do just about anything to achieve it, including kiss rear. That wasn't me. And, while I didn't necessarily need a superior standing over my shoulder threatening me with dire consequences if I didn't get my work done on time, I did find that frequent reminders were very helpful in keeping me on track, as I have always had a disturbing tendency to succumb to distractions.
But Sarah had a different managerial approach than what I was used to. She more-or-less assumed everyone in her company shared her vision and work ethic. This assumption led to minimal supervision - give me a deadline and not check with me until the due date. Upon reflection, this hands-off approach probably wasn't the best for me, especially in the beginning.
At the same time, a part of me figured that being Sarah's brother-in-law gave me a certain amount of leverage. I convinced myself that, unless I became a total and complete screw up, she wouldn't fire me because of our relationship. It turned out I was right about that, but having leverage didn't mean there would be no consequences.
The first time I missed a deadline, Sarah took it as me learning the job. She asked me if I needed any assistance or additional training. I said no, that the assignment was a little more time-consuming that I had originally thought. To this, she gently - but firmly - suggested I either factor the time more carefully or put in more hours, even take work home if I have to.
I should've regarded that as a friendly warning, but I didn't. I was enjoying my new life too much to worry about such things. Likewise, I should've listened more carefully when Jenna asked me about work. I should've realized that she and her sister communicated on a regular basis and that some of that communication involved me and my glaring bare-minimum attitude.
Things came to a head when I missed a third deadline, this one revolving around a very important contract with the Air Force base. Because of my status as an Air Force veteran, I was included in most of the discussions. In short, the company was counting on my unique expertise and connections.
The day after the missed deadline, Sarah called me into her office and closed the door - always a bad sign, as she normally maintained a very open-door policy. She sat behind her cluttered desk and gazed at me for several seconds without saying a word. I just stood before the desk with my hands folded and my head down - I learned several years ago that contrition can sometimes be your best friend in a bad situation.
Finally, she leaned forward and sighed. "Cooper, any good explanation as to why you missed the deadline? I believe I made it very clear how important this contract is. Any chance I wasn't clear on that?"
Okay, I thought, this is serious. I shuffled my feet slightly. But what could I say? Once again, I underestimated the amount of time I needed to put in, electing to occasionally fritter away my time checking social media instead of staying focused on the project. I shook my head. "I'm sorry, Sarah." It was all I could say. "I'll work on it tonight and finish it tomorrow."
Now it was her turn to shake her head. There was a smoldering fire in her eyes. "Not good enough," she said. She took a deep breath. "Cooper, if you were any other employee, I would fire you on the spot. But you are my brother-in-law, and for whatever reason, my sister seems to love you and believe in your potential, so I'm going to give you one more chance."
I exhaled the breath I'd been holding. "Oh, thank you-"
She cut me off. "However, you still have consequences you must face, as the company can't afford any more of your indolence."
I didn't like the sound of that. "What do you mean?"
She rose from her chair. "You may not realize this, but our family believes in the strict application of discipline," she said. "Now, I know you come from an environment in which discipline is a buzz word. But I'm not talking about written reprimands or loss of privileges. I'm talking about corporal punishment."
Of all the things Sarah could have said to me at that moment, corporal punishment was probably the last thing. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. "Corporal punishment?"
She stepped out from behind the desk. "Yes, corporal punishment. Take off your belt, drop your pants, and bend over the desk."
"My belt? Are you serious?"
"Don't ask stupid questions," she said. "Do it now or pack up and get out. Time is precious."
For a few seconds, I thought I might actually be hallucinating. I scanned her face and quickly realized this was real and Sarah was most definitely serious. Still, for some reason, I thought I needed additional clarification. "But Sarah, why do you want my belt?"
She huffed. "Cooper, use your head," she said. "Do you think I do this every day and that I keep a paddle around for just such purposes? My god, the last time I had to punish someone was five years ago... and that was Allan."
"What? You spanked your own brother? Why? I mean, from what I've seen, he's the most dedicated person here."
Sarah smiled. "He is now," she said. "But he wasn't when he started. I hired him right after he graduated from college. He's a very talented designer, but he had the same pathetic work ethic you seem to have. But I'm happy to say the application of the getting-it-twice rule took care of that."
"The getting-it-twice rule?" This was getting weirder by the moment.
Her smile widened. "Of course. Allan was living at home at the time. Our parents always practiced the rule that if you get punished at school, you got it again when you came home. From what I heard, after I finished with him, he got it much worse from our mother."
At that moment, I remembered my parents telling me the same thing about their childhood - stories I only partially believed, putting them in the same category as parental hyperbole, like walking to and from school, two miles in the snow and uphill both ways. I also thought that the rule wouldn't apply to me anyway since I lived two thousand miles from my parents. Standing there, I hesitated.
Sarah took a step toward me and glanced at her watch. "Cooper, give me your belt and let's get this over with," she said. "And, I should inform you that I have already discussed this with Jenna. I suspect she'll be waiting for you when you get home."
Crap! I had a strong feeling that I would soon experience my own version of the getting-it-twice rule. "But-"
"You're my sister's husband," Sarah said, putting up a hand to cut me off. "I thought it would be polite to get her approval before I saw you with your pants down. Now, give me your belt and get in position. Take the punishment you deserve like a man or pack up your office and get out, see what Jenna has to say when you get home after being fired."
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