Joyce 2 - Flatulent confession
It was 6pm in the London offices of Clutterbuck Legal Publishers, Bell Yard, EC2.
Manager Joyce Tipson was sitting in her office chatting to Julie, her secretary.
The year was 1972 and the building was deserted because the employees had all gone home with the exception of Joyce, Julie and one other – your humble scribe, John.
"Who are you dealing with tonight?" asked Julie, an attractive and lively young lady in her early '20s.
"John is paying me a little visit," replied Miss T, a statuesque and formidable spinster in her late '40s.
"As you know all too well, John has reported to me several times since we agreed to a discipline regime. I'm not sure what he has done this time but I am sure I'll get to the bottom of it."
Julie sniggered. "You usually do, quite literally, but I would love to be more involved in one of your sessions. I've soothed John's sore bum with cold cream a few times now after a beating and sent him home happy."
Joyce looked thoughtful. "Well, I don't really see why you shouldn't be involved in applying some deserved correction to the tautly-trousered or bare backside of an attractive young man. It certainly gives me great pleasure so why not you?"
"That'd be really great, Miss T," said Julie eagerly, "I've listened to so many of your thrashings of miscreants, sitting in the outer office, it would be a real thrill to be part of the whole scene."
At 10 past six, I walked through the dusty and Dickensian corridors of Clutterbucks and entered through the outer office into Miss Tipson's lair.
"Welcome, John," she said, "as you can see Julie is going to be present during the proceedings this evening. I trust you don't mind?"
Don't mind? In fact I was going to suggest it myself before long. Another female presence in the room during a beating had always appealed to me in no small measure.
Julie winked at me. "Hi, John."
Miss T fixed me with one of her sternest glares.
"OK, why are you here, John? What mischief have you been up to?"
I hesitated before answering. "I am deeply ashamed of an incident that occurred during Evensong at my church, St Bridget of the Flagellants, last Sunday.
"I am afraid it is rather indelicate," I went on," and I hesitate to even describe the event to two sensitive and respectable ladies like yourselves."
Miss T's frown deepened. "Come on, John, confess and face the consequences."
"Unfortunately, Miss Tipson, in the silence between two of the opening hymns and sitting between my sister Emily and my Aunt Flora, I involuntarily unleashed a highly audible flatulent emission," I said softly.
There was a screech from Julie. "Oh, John, you farted in church..." But her mirth was quickly stifled by a withering look from Miss T.
"Be quiet, Julie, and don't use crude language in my presence," she said sternly. "There is nothing amusing about antisocial, and often malodorous, behaviour at a Christian assembly."
"Sorry Miss T," said Julie, struggling to keep a straight face.
"Schoolboy-type misdeeds deserve appropriate punishments," said Joyce grimly, unlocking her corner cabinet and taking out a pair of old-fashioned plimsolls.
"I kept these from my own schooldays gym sessions. I knew they'd come in useful one day."
She handed one of the plimsolls to Julie and told the girl to place two wooden chairs back to back in the centre of the room while she thoughtfully smacked her own plimsoll against the palm of her hand.
I had never had a slippering before this evening and it would be a new experience, especially when I was instructed to remove my trousers and under-shorts (all previous punishments had been across the seat of skin-tight trousers).