It was a cold Monday morning and I was on my way to see my bank manageress concerning overdue payments on a loan.
The loan had seemed a good idea at the time, a new car and some clothes but I was made redundant and couldn't even make the first payment.
The manageress was a friend of my auntie's and had granted the loan immediately, my auntie having agreed to act as guarantor.
I arrived at the bank and informed the receptionist of my arrival, she told me to sit and wait.
Having more time to reflect I took out the letter I had received from the bank and re read it.
"Following our meeting of two weeks ago you still have made no repayments on your loan. Would you please attend the bank on Monday morning at 9 a.m. to discuss the situation otherwise I will have to claim the outstanding sum from your guarantor."
At the meeting two weeks before, the manageress had said that if I continued to default that she would take action so I guessed that this would be it.
A buzzer sounded and I was ushered into the manageress's office.
"Ah sit down" she said.
"You still have made no progress with your repayments. I told you last time I saw you that I would have to take action, there are however two alternatives."
I nodded indicating to her to continue.
"I am reluctant to claim on your auntie's guarantee, being a personal friend of hers, however that is one of the two options."
"And the other" I asked.
"I don't think you are trying very hard to meet these payments, I consider that you could have paid something off of the account. The second option therefore is that you may have an additional three months to catch up with the payments, on condition that you accept a punishment."
"And what would that be" I said.
She pulled a notepad towards her and quickly wrote something on it then passed it to me. "If you accept the punishment you will go to this address tonight at 8 p.m. You will do what you are told by the woman that meets you there. You will not be told what the punishment is until you get there."
"Do you agree" she continued.
"Yes okay" I replied. I didn't want my auntie to know I had defaulted.
"Right if you do as you are told you will have three more months from today to catch up with your payments."
"Good day" she said indicating that the meeting was over.
I returned home wondering what was expected of me.
As the time approached I looked up the address on a street map to find it was in a very seedy part of town. I drove over there and parked. The street was strewn with litter and the tatty buildings made a depressing sight as I walked along observing the house numbers. I arrived at the address to find a very large Victorian terraced house and with great trepidation rung the bell. A very dowdy middle aged woman answered and gestured for me to come inside. Closing the door she said "I've been expecting you, come with me."
We went along a dingy passageway and into a small room.
"Now wait here while I go and get changed" she said, "oh did anyone tell you why you are here?"
"No," I said.
A slight smile crossed her face, "you will be smacked and caned" she said "wait here" she repeated, and went out closing the door.
Rather surprised I sat and waited, oh well I thought get it over with and at least I would have more time to deal with my debts. She returned shortly wearing a long black skirt and white blouse. "Now we will be going upstairs in a minute, you will do exactly as I ask at all times and without question. There will be some people watching your punishment, you will pay them no attention at all. Now take off your coat and come with me."
I did as asked and then followed her out and up some stairs.
She paused outside a door, "just follow me and do what I tell you" she reminded. My punishment was about to begin.
She opened the door and we entered.
Inside the room was thick with cigarette smoke and despite the silence I could sense there were many people assembled at the far end of the room. I could not see them because of a row of tiny spotlights on the ceiling all pointed down at the floor where we stood. The walls were all painted matt black. I followed the woman to the middle of the open floorspace and she told me "stay there."
I again looked over at the people but could see nothing except the occasional cigarette glowing in the dark. I got the impression there were twenty or so of them and from the height of the glowing cigarettes I guessed they were seated. The woman reappeared from the shadows into the small illuminated area where I stood.
"Take off your trainers" she ordered.
I removed them and put them on a wooden kitchen chair that she indicated and then returned to her.
"Face that wall" she said, I did so leaving myself sideways on to the watchers.
"Bend over and touch your toes" she said quietly.
A glance at her told me I had better comply. The watchers who had begun murmuring to each other fell silent.
I bent over.
She began smacking me hard with the flat of her hand, surprisingly forcefully but still more embarrassing than painful.
Aware all the time of the people watching, I hoped she would stop soon but she went on and on rhythmically smacking. I could see the cigarettes still calmly glowing in the dark out of the corner of my eye and then she stopped. "Stand" she said. "Stay there." I couldn't believe I was going to get away that lightly and sure enough she returned with one of my trainers.
"Bend over, touch your toes." I did.
Feeling embarrassed again I waited fingers on toes for her to resume. The murmuring that had gradually built up again ceased.
Suddenly the trainer was sent crashing into me very painfully, I squirmed and wriggled. "Keep still" she said in a bored tone.
She spanked hard with the trainer for several minutes. At first it was all I could do to stand it, but gradually my skin became accustomed to it and I was able to bear it more easily. As she continued I became aware again of the audience and my embarrassment heightened further.
On and on she sent the heavy trainer crashing against me, while I wondered how much longer I could possibly go on.
At last she stopped and replacing the trainer on the chair said, "stand up."
I stood and stole a glance towards the audience. The low voices started again, still I could not make out the people sitting there because of the spotlights shining straight at me. I wondered what they were saying to each other but could not discern individual conversations from the general murmuring. I was just wondering whether it could be over when the woman returned to my side, she was carrying the chair and stood it in front of me.
"Take your clothes off" she said sternly, "all of them, stack them on the chair."
I began undressing slowly.
"Quickly, I want you completely in the nude, now."
I removed the rest of my clothes as quickly as I could, placed them on the chair and stood naked awaiting her instructions. The cigarettes glowed brightly in the gloom.
"Touch your toes." I resumed my position and she began smacking hard with her hand again.
"There she said, that's better, nothing to protect your skin now."
A sharp crack was emitted every time her hand contacted me and it was indeed more painful.
She stopped. "Stay there" she said. I stayed fingers on toes waiting for the next onslaught.
She picked up the trainer that she had used before and now began a violent assault on my flesh. The shoe was very heavy and my skin was stinging and bruised but she pounded away fully for five minutes.
"Okay then stand" she ordered.
I stood and rubbed my battered skin.
