For those who might be interested, I used these same characters (and basically the same plot) in an entry in last year's contest, "The School Thing.")

MURPHY ROLL
by Bird
M/F
499 words

"Sorry to be blunt" says Delia standing in the doorway, "but I get the $300 when I show up."

"No problem," says Finch. He flashes the thick roll of bills, thumbs three $100s.

Delia puts the money in her trenchcoat, then lets it slide to the floor. She's wearing black - teddy, lace panties, thigh-highs, heels.

"Oh, dear. All wrong," Finch shakes his head. "There are some things in the bedroom. Would you mind?"

"It's your party," says Delia. She returns in a few minutes wearing the schoolgirl outfit -- short tartan, white blouse and socks, loafers.

"Perfect." Finch grins. "But now we must discuss your behavior." He pretends to read from a notepad, "Cheating in math, smoking outside the dining hall, out past curfew."

"Sorry sir," Delia mutters, head bowed.

"Do you know how we deal with such behavior?"

"N-n-no sir." Delia crosses her legs nervously.

"Perfect," sighs Finch. "We use corporal punishment."

"Sir?"

Finch lifts her chin gently and stares into her eyes. "I'm going to spank you, Delia. And because of the seriousness of your offenses, I'm going to add four strokes of the cane."

"Cane sir?"

"Yes. Have you ever been caned, Delia?"

"Yes sir," she stammers. Her lip trembles.

"Then you know how effective it can be."

"But sir," Delia leans closer to whisper in his ear. "Spanking is $300. The cane's another hundred a stroke. Understood?"

Finch moves her hand to feel the billroll in his pocket. "No problem," he says.

He sits. Delia lowers herself over his lap. He flips up her skirt, sees the black lace panties. "Where are those white knickers I laid out for you?"

"I didn't feel like putting them on."

"That's two more with the cane then. And these will have to come completely off."

"Not on the bare sir, please. Can't I at least keep my . . . you know . . . covered? Please sir. I'll do anything." She looks back at Finch, a twinkle in her eye. "Anything." She rubs her hips against the firmness in Finch's lap.

"We'll see about that later," Finch says, sliding the panties down.

* * * *

In bed, Delia snuggles against Finch's chest. "Those last two strokes were exquisite. That's why I came so much, just remembering. You're such a nasty schoolmaster, darling."

"And you're such a wicked schoolgirl. And such a good hooker," he adds smiling.

"That reminds me. Where's my $900?" She reaches for the discarded pants. "Hey," mock surprise and anger, "What the hell is this?" Save for the top bill, the wad is play money. "A fucking Murphy roll. Listen, mister, I got people. You know, guys named Dominic."

"But dear, we always. . . ."

"Not tonight. I want real cash."

"You know we don't have that kind of money here now."

"I want something. Compensation. Reciprocity"

"There's no cash. What else is there?"

Delia gazes meaningfully towards the cane leaning against the chair.

"But darling, surely you wouldn't . . . ."

"Wouldn't I?"

Finch looks at the money -- "That Ain't Hay" say the childish bills. He swallows hard.

I started from a bad vantage point with this one as I hadn't a clue what a 'Murphy Roll' was and " 'that ain't hay' said the childish bills" left me somewhat confused. too.  However in between it all made sense in that here was a couple acting out a little melodrama to justify a good spanking and caning and then her own little melodrama at the end in order to turn the tables.  A quite chirpy story but nothing to really lift it into the memorable class.  A nice effort though.

LOL!  I loved it.  Very inventive and, as someone who is Irish, I wasn't even offended by the racism in the title.  A fine, snappy story with a few twists and some good writing.

I liked this story a great deal -- though the author's note at the start of it rather gave the game away as I remembered his other story.  Still, I enjoyed the construct of the role play within the role play, especially with the final twisting turn about.

Probably not the author's best ever, but Bird's set a very high standard there.  The story is a sweet pleasure and captures nicely the little in jokes of a long standing relationship.

Adding to my pleasure in this text is the knowledge that the original photograph was done using one $100 bill covering a large pile of ones.

The staccato dialogue comes on like film noir, and the whole piece has that sort of smoky, cynical appeal. It's a nice read, with a couple of caveats. The spanking itself is tossed aside somewhat easily, as if it's little more than stage-dressing. The ambiguity of the relationship doesn't leave quite the satisfying conclusion that it might - she's his mistress, I assume. Also, the switch to switching is a bit mechanical; if this is a matter of blackmail, then the screw doesn't seem to have been turned *nearly* tight enough - assuming that he isn't into this to begin with. It feels like the fantasy of someone who *is* into it, but prefers the coercion.