A few years ago, I worked at a library for a short period of time. This library would have presentations almost daily. These would vary as to subject matter, but they were usually educational unless it was a musical performance by musicians.
Being a fan of BDSM, tickling, torture, and likewise activities, I suggested offering a presentation about Medieval and Witch Confession and Punishment Methods. To my surprise, the branch librarian thought that would be a great idea and she asked me to submit a plan for the presentation.
After reviewing my plan, she recognized that the major focus of the torture methods involved some form of tickling. She suggested that we add a demonstration to the presentation of someone being convicted of an accusation and sentenced to the stocks for a tickling punishment.
I was amazed that she would suggest such a demonstration, but she thought it would be a better way of educating the people who attended the presentation by showing them how someone suffered from being tickled instead of just talking about it. I agreed and put the plan into motion.
I had the maintenance crew build a small set of stocks that the convicted person would be locked in. We gathered some of the staff and talked about the project in greater detail. We all agreed that the group would secret vote who would be the ticklee. Each person of the group would be prepared to strip down to a bathing suit if they were chosen to be tickled. In reality, back in the days of Salem witches, the accused were sentenced to be tickled in stocks naked. Being naked added to the punishment and the humiliation of the accused. Since this was a library and just a demonstration, nudity was forbidden, but a bathing suit was acceptable. Whoever was selected would be locked in the stocks in their bathing suit for 5 to 10 minutes. The remaining unselected staff would tickle the selected staff member for no more than 10 minutes.
The presentation was promoted, and the auditorium was about half full with 40 people in attendance. It was a great turnout for a first-time presentation. I was the presenter and welcomed the patrons to the presentation, and then began a PowerPoint presentation to educate the crowd about different torture practices from the past and still used today in some cases like when the Marines were accused of waterboarding inmates at Guantonamo Bay.
The attendees at the presentation were very engaged and asked lots of questions. I explained how some punishments fit the offense while others did not. For example, someone accused of laughing in church would be sentenced to the tickle stocks naked and be given something to laugh about. They would be tickled by their peers, not by an appointed tickler. This made the punishment even more severe for not everyone liked each other. Imagine being locked in stocks naked, and you can't move your bare feet when your arch enemy approaches to take advantage of your plight?
Other times, the offense was stealing or being drunk in public. These crimes would also be given a sentence of being placed in the town square stocks, but the accused was fully clothed. Their punishment was more of ridicule and humiliation. Sometimes, the town folk would throw rotten tomatoes and eggs at the captive. It wasn't uncommon for the mischievous young boys in town to sneak up to the stocks and remove the captives' shoes and stockings, and then tickle their feet relentlessly as town people would laugh at the poor person's circumstance.
We came to the part of the presentation for the tickle torture demonstration. The branch librarian came out dressed in a robe and hat reminiscent of the dress style of the 1692 witch trials.
"Does someone want to make an accusation?"
She was answered by one of the staff who was aware of who was voted to be the accused. She responded, "Yes, I accuse him of laughing in church (pointing at me). I was taken back since I was hoping to tickle one of the female librarians, but instead they would tickle me.
The branch librarian asked, "How do you plea?" I answered, "Not guilty!"
She asked if there were any other witnesses to this laughing offense. If not, it would be a she said, he said situation and the accusation would be dismissed. To everyone's surprise, several people in the audience shouted, "Yes, I saw him laughing too. He needs to be punished."
The branch librarian said, "Since there are witnesses, your plea is rejected. You are sentenced to one hour in the town square stocks where you will be naked, tickled, and humiliated. All in favor say Ay. All opposed?"
One person said Nay. She asked what the naysayer objected to, and he replied, "The sentance is too light. It should be two-hours."
"Okay, two hours it will be. Guards, take him to the stocks and strip him of his clothing."
(Again, being the library, I was stripped down to a pair of swimming trunks.)
