Whatever Works [M/f]

(c) 2007 by Grace Brackenridge
[500 words]

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
This story is inspired by the the old schoolroom
depicted in 19.jpg for SSC07. The author strongly
opposes the spanking of real children in real life.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"How would you like to teach here?" precocious 14-year-old Rebecca asked her stepfather.

The Coloma School House, built during the California Gold Rush and restored with historical accuracy, appeared dark and dreary.

"No thanks!" laughed Carl Thatcher, a math teacher.

Touring historic Coloma, Rebecca and Carl had walked ahead while Rebecca's pregnant mother, Virginia, rested at the Sierra Nevada House.

"It's so romantic," said Rebecca, sitting on a hard wooden chair. "Just think. Mark Twain wrote about places like this. I'd love it here."

Rebecca put her elbows on the dark wood desk.

"Those were different times," laughed her stepfather. "Back then, teachers paddled for poor schoolwork."

Rebecca shrugged. "Not the end of the world."

"Rebecca," smiled Carl, "have you EVER been spanked?"

"No."

"California allowed paddling when I was young," he said reflectively. "You wouldn't like it."

He put the backpack on the floor. "I'm going back for your mom. Why not work on your module?"

Rebecca rolled her eyes. Because she failed math that spring, Carl made her do remedial modules every day during vacation.

Carl took her modules seriously.

Rebecca didn't.

Nevertheless, after he left, she opened her workbook.

Pretending to be a pupil, circa 1888, Rebecca tried a few problems.

But they just made her drowsy.

-- -- -- -- --

"Miss Fletcher! Wake up! Step forward!"

With a start, Rebecca lifted her head.

Pupils dressed in 1880s attire filled the Coloma School House -- all eyes fixed on her.

"Mathematics seems vexing, Rebecca," said the teacher, taking a monstrous paddle from its hook. "Small wonder. Science says the female brain is only two-thirds the size of a man's brain."

Confused and terrified, Rebecca stepped forward.

"Bend over the desk."

Rebecca complied.

"Amy Lawrence, assist me by holding up Miss Fletcher's skirt and petticoat."

"Yes, Mr. Dobbins!" said the girl with unbridled pleasure, as if settling some old score.

Whack! Whack! Whack!

Even through ruffled bloomers, Rebecca felt excruciating pain.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she walked back to her seat.

"Sorry!" whispered a boy as she sat gingerly.

"Quiet, Tom!" scolded the teacher.

Red with humiliation, Rebecca looked down, working studiously.

-- -- -- -- --

"Wake up," said Carl, patting her back.

"God, my butt hurts!" moaned Rebecca as she awoke, standing to rub the seat of her tight white shorts.

"Here's a gift," said her mother, showing Rebecca a souvenir paddle labeled, "Coloma School House."

"You've been busy!" said Carl, leafing through Rebecca's workbook. "Five modules complete. A week's work."

"No way!" Rebecca protested, confused. "I fell asleep."

She recounted the dream paddling.

"Whatever works," laughed her stepfather, smacking his palm with the paddle.

"Now you have to follow through, Carl," laughed his wife. "Consistency!"

"I dare you!" laughed his stepdaughter. "No more modules unless you paddle me."

-- -- -- -- --

Whap! Whap! Whap!

Outside the motel room door, Virginia shook her head, thinking 'We don't even believe in CP.'

Nevertheless, Rebecca had received five paddlings.

With #6, Rebecca would finish her workbook today.

"Whatever work," she shrugged while Rebecca's baby brother kicked inside her.

The story conjured up a nice picture of a family visiting a reconstructed gold rush town with its old schoolhouse and the, clearly, well informed young daughter living out her historical fantasy - or was it? Did she dream? Did she time travel? Did she work in her sleep to get her math modules done? All very surreal and left to the imagination.

Did Mom and Dad sense that their daughter was a latent spanko? Is that why they abandoned the principles of a lifetime? Who knows?

Anyway a nice, slightly confusing, story which was fun to read but which left a few loose ends, I thought.  And was the historical link to Rebecca (Becky), Tom and Mark Twain deliberate despite it taking place in a different State? Anyway very nice indeed but not quite 'top drawer'.

I really had a lot of fun reading this story! I especially enjoy dream sequences because they allow for a wide range of possibilities that aren't necessarily possible in "straight" punishment scenarios. It also allows me to avoid some of the issues I occasionally have with suspending disbelief in other stories. I also really enjoy historical scenarios, so combining the two worked very well for me.

I loved the mixture of present and past, fact and fantasy, leaving the reader unsure which was which.  The writing was excellent, the dialogue realistic and the plot unique.  While it was left to the imagination, I found the spankings hot.  There's something about the magic age of fourteen.

Whatever Works definitely works in this category - the connection between the photo of the old schoolroom and the setting of the story is very nice.  I like the way the subject of spanking is introduced, and the actual paddling scene is hot.  The only piece of this story that doesn't work for me is the mother (Virginia)'s pregnancy.  Although it is mentioned more than once, it doesn't seem to relate to anything else, or have any bearing on the plot.  Altogether, though, I really enjoyed this entry.