Honor Code / Friendship, Treachery And Brotherhood
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Honor Code
Friendship, Treachery And Brotherhood
By
PJ Franklin pjfranklinboy2@earthlink.net
We cadets had been taught in our required second year "American Constitution And Government" class that our revered document, the U.S. Constitution, had been designed by its creators to morph and change over time and future history into what was best for the citizens it served in any time. Amending it was difficult, but possible. It was malleable in its detail, but rock solid and eternal at its heart. I hated to admit it, but when most of the guys hated that class, it secretly made me very proud to be an American under its guidelines.
Red Mountain Military Academy (from now on, RMMA) had been founded exactly in the year 1900, July 4th actually. How ironic and didn't I know. Any first year who was caught not knowing that date after the first day by his squad leader or any upperclassman who might question him, had better be ready to have his fifteen year old bare bottom paddled. It cost me five hard ones from Mr. Whetsel, my squad leader, a good two days after I had been required to know it. Let's just say I was a bit slow to blossom at the first. I missed good ol' Jerry and sometimes caught myself imitating his mannerisms with my own boys.
At any rate, the RMMA Honor Code had been somewhat fashioned after the American Constitution. It too was meant to morph and change with the times. What might have been a Code violation in 1900 or even 1940, was no longer one in 1950 and so on to present times. In any case, I was very proud of our Code. It had recently saved me a world of personal anguish and doubt about my ability and courage to live through a hell of my own making. The process had been fiercely painful, but it changed me for the better and my self-confidence soared after my administrative punishment and so had my friendship with Jacob Lightman. The phrase is said to be "thick as thieves" or "just like brothers". Those are nice phrases to describe friendship, but totally inadequate to describe who Jacob now was to me. They say too that the horror and stress of war makes strange men comrades for life. I think that was a lot closer to our truth, but I would not wish that horror on even my worst enemy, much less anyone at school; or so I had thought.
Cadets were allowed a 90 minute study period in the afternoon. It was voluntary, but nonetheless available. And it was either that, or you had better have your young fanny out on the sports or training fields at least pretending to participate. Some of my boys revelled in playing sports and would have to be forced off the fields to that study time. Others only tolerated sports and actually made a point of utilizing the 90 minutes instead. I had three such boys, Briggs, Hendrickson and Jones. I called them B,H & J as if they were a railroad brand! They were constantly hooked up together like rail cars and usually discussing some arcane math problem presented to them by their first year math teacher, Mr. Angelus.
They were all 15 years old of course and by now were all beginning to have that first year swagger that usually came along about the mid-winter term, but was also usually reserved for the sports jocks in the group, especially the football players. Well, to B, H & J, math was a sport and it turned out, like most sports at RMMA, it could be very competitive to them. I had no idea the emotion and ire that a quadratic formula could provoke. I could knock one out of the park on an exam, but spend hours talking about its nuances as if it were a pass play from a quarterback to a receiver? Forget it! I'd rather have a good hard bare bottom paddling!
The point is, these boys took that kind of banter very seriously. I happened to be in charge of that day's study session, but seldom paid any attention. How boring could monitoring study hall be? Death-defying boring. So I would invariably wander off down the hall and finding an empty classroom with one of my old first, second or even third year teachers, strike up a conversation and reminisce a bit about the "good old days", at least in the context of my brief career. So I did. I found Mr. Angelus in fact. He was a great teacher, but a stickler for accuracy of course. It was math. That classroom was a good three doors down from study hall, but when the commotion came, I still heard it.
I excused myself quickly from Mr. Angelus and ran towards the noise. It was coming right out of Room 16, the study hall room. What the hell? I opened the door and caught B, H & J fighting! Yes, you heard me, fighting, fists flying! Now fighting was a subjective thing at RMMA. It was kept in context. RMMA sported a lot of testosterone. The staff knew that. Boys fight, so it depended on all the whys and wherefores. On the football field especially, the coaching staff might let a scuffle and pushing match play through if the players were padded and not too nuts. Sometimes actually, they kind of provoked it a little, just to get the fires of performance stoked a little for their next game with a rival school.
Naturally, upon my entrance, somebody shouted out, "Officer on deck! Ten-utt!" and everyone in the room jumped up from whatever they were doing, B, H & J instantly stopped and did the same. I gave permission for everyone else to settle back, but not my three. I strode over to stand before three ram-rod upright cadets, arms and hands glued over the creases in their uniform slacks, but their black blouse ties each in comic disarray. It was hard not to smile, but I did not.
I reached forward and straightened down each tie, then got very stern, "What in the name of god are you three doing? This is study hall, not a football scrimmage?!"
Now you had to understand where I stood with B, H & J, on a personal level that is. They had been in the front row of the squad during my administrative paddling in the gym. I could still easily recall each of their faces, red and distressed, proud and supportive. Afterwards, over the next several days, each of them separately came to me and told me how my punishment had affected each one of them. Just thinking about it now could put a lump in my throat.
"I'm right and Hendrickson is wrong!" Briggs complained.
"No you are not right, the formula is flawed Briggs!"
"What?" I said.
"The paper is on the desk sir. Briggs says it's right, Hendrickson says it's wrong," Jones interjected.
"And what do you say Jones?" I asked him, all ears by now.
"I say that I don't like being called a FOUR EYED PUSSY for not taking sides!"
Boy he was pissed off! Tim Jones was the only one in the trio wearing glasses.
Needless to say, Tim's comment almost put me on the floor. He was so sincere and adamant and I didn't blame him, but still!
I grabbed the paper of contention and busied myself only half looking at the Egyptian math hieroglyphics on it, mainly killing time to calm myself down. But now what? Well there had been an additional squad fallout from my administrative punishment in front of my boys. It was called "balancing" by some. Whatever it was, if it even existed at all, it was flattering in a way and really was just a kind of latent small group empathic response to what they had witnessed, mainly unconscious I thought, but maybe not.
Usually, whenever squad punishment was on deck with one of my cadets, and with fifteen year olds it was never far away, I sometimes gave them a choice between corporal punishment and the academy equivalent to grounding. It was really forced marching up and down the dormitory hallway in full uniform, carrying a faux-rifle for a very long and boring period of time. That was coined "hall stomping" and in my day I desperately hated it. An hour of that will drive a guy totally insane. I would rather have my bare butt tanned by my squad leader and always went that route instead for myself.
At any rate, I would say that I gave a cadet on report a choice of hall-stomping or paddling about a third of the time, 33%. Mostly, I would choose, 67%. Well, 33% does not sound like a lot, but you had to know my guys. They had more guts than I ever had to ride the edges of behavior. They kept me on my toes, but I never missed a beat, any that I could see anyway.
Well, ever since my squad's witness of my honor code violation punishment, virtually all choices, when offered, now went to corporal punishment. Maybe I was just flattering myself and a real statistical analysis might prove otherwise, but I honestly thought that they each wanted to somehow empathize with my anguish after the fact, or maybe it was just matching their mettle to take a good hard paddling against that of their recently administratively punished squad leader, at least in the spirit of the thing. Hell, maybe it was all just coincidence, but it made me feel good and closer to my boys, whatever it was.
So there I stood, the war of the flawed quadratic formula having been waged and not solved. In principle, fighting was fighting for any reason, but I knew one thing was for sure; math formulas were just as important to B, H & J as football scrimmages to my other boys and I had better not drop the "football" on this one with B, H or J!
"OK you three, I don't care about your formula. What I care about is that fighting over it is against squad rules and all three of you are going to be fighting next over whose bare behind hurts more, yours or the other guy's. Ten swats on the bare for all of you. Now, who called Tim a 'four-eyed pussy'?"
"I did sir, I'm sorry Tim. I didn't mean it," Kyle Briggs came forward immediately and, I thought, contritely.
"Five more swats extra for you Briggs. That was gross. Even if you're thinking that shit, keep it stowed in that thing between your ears from now on, OK?"
"Yes sir Mr. Baker!!" Kyle said and I think kind of puffed out his chest a bit more than the other two. I believed the "balance" theory, even though these pint-sized reprobates would have no real shot at it this go around.
"OK then, I'll let you stay until end of study session. You're all on report and we'll settle this after 19:00 muster tonight, got it?"
"SIR YES SIR!" they all barked.
Now I could smile and did and shook my head, "Get back to work!"
I sighed and left the room to get a breath of fresh air. I'd no more stepped out of the room when I was almost run over by one of my same year colleagues, a boy by the name of Willy French. What a name, what a guy. I liked Willy a lot.
"Baker!!" he said breathlessly and paused to catch his wind, "You gotta get your ass over to Richards office NOW man!"
"What the fuck Willy? You about scared me out of 16 of my 17 years!" and he almost had!
"It's Lightman! Jacob man! One of his cadets has accused him of sexual molestation!"
My stomach knotted up twice as fast as when I had realized I had broken the Honor Code not that long ago.
"Take over for me Willy inside, Please!!" I said, my head about ready to blow off.
"Yea man, Go! Go! Run!" he said and I did.
It was against campus rules to run while not in a physical training activity. I didn't care. I took off and my eyes started to water and my mind was in fifty directions. Molested a cadet?! No fucking goddamned way did Jake do that?! What the hell?? But I stopped thinking and just ran, passing teachers and staff who looked at my face and backed off. I flew up the steps of the Administration building in two leaps and through the double doors. I got to the hallway and stopped. There sat my best friend Jacob, on the bench outside of the Commandant's office, the one where boys who are about to be punished often did. I had sat there a few times myself.
Instead of looking angry or at least indignant, Jacob's body language looked guilty or at least worried in a way that made my heart fall, and for Jacob, that could be a very long way indeed. I bit my lower lip hard and started to walk, not run, towards him. He saw me coming and there was nobody else around, so he stood up. I stopped at about three feet from him. He said nothing and looked so helpless!
"Jake … you didn't do anything?"
He swallowed. Oh god! No, no, don't say it.
"I … I don't know Greg … I didn't … I don't know man."
"What do you mean, you don't know!?!"
Just then, the Commandant's door whipped open. Out strode a man that made my blood run cold. It was Major Pendergrast, Todd Pendergrast's father. Todd was one of Jake's 15 year olds. Todd was right behind his Dad and after glancing at Jake, his face pale and drawn as well, he just caught up with his father, who put his arm around his son and they walked out of the building.
Commandant Richards appeared at the doorway. He looked calm, but that was his way with the worst situations. The worse they got, the calmer he got.
"Oh Baker, good. Willy and you must have broken every rule against running on campus to get here. OK, come inside, both of you."
I made up my mind instantly. I did not care if Jacob Lightman HAD molested Todd. Todd was a little jerk and I did not trust him and especially not his father, Major "I want to be more important than I really am" Pendergrast. Something was very wrong, but it didn't matter. I would stay by Jacob's side no matter what, through whatever hell was on the way for him.
But it got worse.
The Major had produced pictures, photos, Polaroids actually. He copied them and gave a copy to the Commandant, Jake and curiously enough, he already had mailed a copy to the school's attorneys. I smelled a fucking rat. Pendergrast and his father were capable. That made me feel a little better, but even I knew that just a sniff of an accusation of molestation, true or not, could be enough for Jake to lose his squad if just because the other parents would demand it. If it was true, Jake was history already. I knew it was not true.
I looked at the photos. All I saw was three shots pretty much the same, all showing half a torso, the buttocks bared and very red and then was cut off about mid thighs. The quality was crap of course. The body was presumably Todd's but very clearly in the shot was Jake's squad spanking paddle. It was his all right. It had his red monogrammed initials. My stomach knotted. I sighed and looked at Jake. The trouble was, Jake had a Polaroid camera, but very few people knew that.
"Jake, did you take these?"
He looked at me, "I don't know, I don't know Greg!"
"What do you mean you don't know!? You were there or you were not!"
"Maybe! I mean, I can't remember!"
"Well when was the last time you punished Todd?"
"I've punished him a million times with my paddle!"
"When … was … the … last …time!"
"OK! Um … before Christmas break, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, OK?"
"But you would have remembered, Jake! Come on man! This is your career on the line!"
"I don't know! I was so flipping mad at him that last time, maybe I … I blacked out or freaked out or something and touched him and took pictures or something." And his face fell.
Well, I was not letting this go. I looked at Richards, "Sir?"
"Todd says that Mr. Lightman touched him on the genitals after the last paddling you were talking about and even propositioned him against more punishment. Your basic 'he said, he said' kind of thing. The only real evidence are those photos."
"But if you took them, how did Pendergrast get his hands on them?"
Jake shrugged, "Got pissed off, broke into my stuff? I don't know."
"Plants … these are plants … I just know it, you're right-handed Jake. The paddle is coming from the left!"
Jake took the photos, "I didn't even notice that."
"Good work Baker, but it proves nothing."
"Sir? Isn't Major Pendergrast the next in line for the chairmanship of the school board?"
"Yes, he is."
I stopped there and took a breath. I well understood how nuts with anger you can get at a boy like Todd. He could be so good and loyal one moment, then a real little shit the next. I was glad I had no "Todd" in my squad. Maybe it was true, but I was going to have to see a lot more than a left handed paddle picture to prove it to me.
"Sir? Why would the Major want to be chairman so bad?"
"I've already thought about that son, but good work again. We've been at odds with him for several years, even before Todd enrolled. It seems he and I don't get along."
"So, if he were chair, he could get you fired."
"Pretty much, yes."
"So, if he wanted to try … he could blackmail the school by not bringing up charges against Jake and the school in exchange …"
"… For the chairmanship and my job." Richards completed the sentence.
"Sir? Has he called the authorities or even threatened?"
"No, he has not. That's peculiar."
"And he's already mailed the photos to the school's attorneys."
"Yes he has!" Richards said.
"Todd's the key. The only way the Major could get to you sir, is through his son and Todd set it up for his father maybe by taking these photos themselves, Todd knowing Jake had a camera just like any other Polaroid camera, then planting the photos and saying later that Todd stole them to give credence to the molestation accusation."
"Wow man. You watch too much TV!" Jake said.
I looked at my best friend, "Yea, and if that saves your ass, you'll buy me a new one!"
"So, how do we get to Todd?"I said and started to pace and looked at the photos again.
"Well, he's home with his Dad as we speak. And as it is, I'm going to have suspend Mr. Lightman until after inquiries are properly made."
"Hey, Todd is right handed. He took these photos himself."
"So that only leaves the paddle."
"Where do you keep your paddle Jake? I don't know any more."
"Hanging up on the wall."
"So anyone can get to it."
"Yup."
"That means that Todd would have had to sneak into your room, when you were not there, grab the paddle, tan his own butt, use a camera, his or yours for that matter and then take the photos to his Dad and spring the trap."
"Or do it over Christmas break, when I was not there."
"Sir? Do we know where Todd was for Christmas?"
"I assume home with his folks."
"Yea, that's not good."
"Unless father and son drove back to take the photos," Jake added which was a good point.
But by now, my mind was spinning with possibilities that might not even matter. Jake could be innocent and still lose face and his squad, much less be asked to leave because of parent pressure.
"Likely, I'll be getting phone calls from parents. If Pendergrast is on the prowl, he'll rally parents for his side and try to force Chet off the chairmanship, accusing him of scandal and improperly running the school, me too," Richards said.
I felt awful. I didn't see how this could end in any good way for my Commandant, but I was more concerned with Jake.
"Son? You'll have to pack and go home to your mother for the time being."
"No!! … I mean, no sir, Jake will pack and go home to my Dad," I said.
Jake's face brightened up, "See, I always knew you and I were really brothers."
Richards smiled, "I'll leave it up to you boys. I'm so sorry Mr.Lightman."
"I'm more worried about my boys, sir."
"We'll take good care of them, I'm sure Mr. Baker will help."
That was all that could be done right then.
I called Dad and told him the whole sordid story. Dad was infuriated, not with Jake, but with the Major, "I'm with you son. Pendergrast is up to no good. I've known him too long. I'll be there in seven hours, son."
"Dad, it takes ten."
"You time me then."
"OK!" I smiled.
* * * * * * * * * *
The situation was out of my hands for now. I had a squad to take care of and three cadets to discipline. 19:00 rolled around and it was time to muster my crew. They assembled in the dormitory hallway as usual in their fatigues. I was holding my clipboard, checking on their behavior in the various places that they had all been throughout the campus that day. I saw nothing unusual, and happened to look up, just as a hand raised.
"Yes Clifford?" Peter had a question.
"Sir, there's a rumor going around that Mr. Lightman … well he was sent home."
I groaned, I knew this was coming.
"OK, I will talk about this once and no more. Mr. Lightman was sent home. One of his cadets accused him of improper touching."
Then out of nowhere, "It's Pendergrast. He's a piece of shit!"
"Who said that!!?" I barked.
Ricky Oftergaard confessed, "Me sir, sorry sir, but he is."
"Oftergaard, do you personally know Todd Pendergrast?"
"No sir, but that's what all his squad thinks and says to us under the sheets sir."
"Under the sheets" was cadet-speak for scuttle-butt and rumors passed around among the underclassmen.
"I see, and do you believe everything you hear?"
"Well no sir, but it's also been going around that Pendergrast has been threatening guys."
My heart skipped a beat. "Explain yourself, cadet."
"He's done it before sir. It's like it's no big deal anymore and everyone ignores it."
"Threatens how Oftergaard?"
"Oh you know, he says that his Dad will shut the school down and all that crap, but there's another thing too sir, sometimes he says his Dad will get even with Mr. Lightman."
"For what?" I asked.
"Todd is always screwing up Sir. He gets a lot of paddling and like most of us, he don't like it a lot."
I saw light at the end of a potentially long tunnel. I took the information into my brain.
"That may be the case gentleman, but verbally calling another cadet, even Todd Pendergrast, a piece of shit is out of order."
"You need to keep it stowed in that thing between your ears Oftergaard or you'll end up with a sore ass!" Kyle Briggs commented.
The boys laughed, but not Kyle.
"Briggs is right Oftergaard, you are on report, five bare bottom swats mister!"
"Yessir," my cadet slumped.
I completed evening muster then told the cadets on report to dress down to PE kit and present themselves at my room door in 15 minutes. I used the time to call Willy French. He was going to help me take care of Jacob's squad. I just knew that the key lay with them now and Willy was desperate to help.
At the proper time, Mr. Oftergaard, Mr. Briggs, Mr. Hendrickson, and Mr. Jones all presented themselves in a proper fashion and I let them through in a group. Then one by one, I gave out their punishment swats. Each boy had to bare his bottom in front of the others. Hendrickson and Jones both got their ten. They were pretty impressed. Mr. Briggs got his ten, followed by his extra five. I considered lightening Briggs's sentence a bit, but then remembered my little theory about "balance." Kyle took them all like a champ, but had tears rolling at the end.
I ended up with Mr. Oftergaard, bare-bottomed and bent over. I ended up giving him only four and not five, theory or not.
"I thought you said five Sir?"
"I did Oftergaard. I took one off because your little outburst may have saved Mr. Lightman's career."
He grinned, "Glad to help sir. Mr. Lightman is aces sir!"
"Yes he is, cadet."
Before I dismissed them all, I told them that I was going to have to leave them alone for a few hours, on account of Mr. French and I had a mission with Mr. Lightman's squad to try and find out what was going on between him and Mr. Pendergrast. I told them that I was counting on them to tell the rest of the squad to behave and not cause any more problems for me that night.
"You can count on us sir. Anything for you and Mr. Lightman sir, you guys are the best," Tim said. Boy, talk about lumps.
It wasn't that I wanted to march into Lightman's dorm and read them the riot act if they didn't confess something that I could use. But we needed a break. It turned out much easier than we had thought. It turns out the scuttle-butt was at least partly true about Todd going around with empty threats, but then a boy named Scott Marshman finally cracked. I felt sorry for him, a lot. He bravely told us that Todd Pendergrast kind of singled him out for special verbal abuse, that if he didn't cooperate, Todd was going to report him for masturbation and other minor offenses.
Mr. Marshman was a little naïve and Todd was basically bullying him. But in an apparent moment of overblown pride and bravado, he had confided to Scott that he and his Dad had a plan in motion to take the school down or at least over and more importantly that at last, Todd was going to get even with Jake for all his paddlings.
That was the break we needed, though it was not over yet. I would need help to put pressure on the Major and at least cause a standoff of some kind. I could not involve the Commandant. It had to be an adult outsider. Bingo!! My Dad!
I kept my information under my hat as I waited anxiously for Dad to arrive. I did not talk to either Jake or the Commandant and made Willy and Lightman's boys swear to keep the secrets until it was all over. Believe me, I had no problem with them.
Six point seven hours. Dad arrived way under ten hours and was not going to jail! Ha!
I waited until Jacob and he were ready to leave. I was both envious and very grateful that my best friend was safely in my Dad's care. But first, I took Dad aside, privately. I chose to tell the information from Lightman's squad to Dad only, and not involve Jake, just so that he could not be accused of conspiring with us and the squad. That seemed real important to me.
You should have seen Dad's face change. I just knew that he knew that now he had the Major's balls right in his fist, but he would not tell Jake either until the time was right. I sure hoped it worked. I hugged my Dad and my best friend and packed them off.
I was exhausted and returned to my squad area and my room. I just wanted all of this to be over with Jake restored to his duties. My boys had been angels and anxiously asked me if everything was going to be all right. I reassured them that I thought we had the thing beat, but to keep it all to themselves until it was all over. And then they made me laugh because they all shouted in unison, "AND STOW IT BETWEEN THAT THING BETWEEN YOUR EARS!"
I finally could get some sleep.
* * * * * * * * * *
I awoke the next morning feeling pretty positive about things. My best friend was safely in my Dad's care. With just a little luck, Dad had enough information to force the Major to back off, and if we were lucky, get a confession from Todd Pendergrast that the whole thing was blackmail. Who knows, maybe we could even get the Major brought up on charges and get him off the Commandant's back. That part seemed pretty unlikely, but would be fitting.
Yes, the day was going great, that is until I got a phone call. It was Jacob, calling from my Dad's study back home, his voice shaking.
"Greg, I took those photos. I just confessed to your Dad."
"Hello?" Jake said, "Hello?! Greg!!"
I could hear him still, but I had dropped the receiver onto the floor, feeling like I had been shot through the brains and the heart, but especially the latter.
* * * * * * * * * *
I was not a perfect boy, far from it. Even at 17, my mind could lead to conclusions that were distorted and incorrect or deceptive. But I didn't know that yet. Commandant Richards agreed to let me go home. I could no longer stay away from Dad or Jacob. I had to be near both or I would die.
The next day, I made that drive home by myself through ten hours of misery. I did not yet know the true facts yet of "Lightman v. Pendergrast" as I stopped at the café and got coffee, by myself. I bittersweetly relived the moments of the same drive from the last Christmas with Jacob after my Honor Code violation feeling as lonely as I had ever felt since leaving my Mom's womb.
But shortly after finally arriving home, the real truths came out like vomit from a dog's upchuck. It was true, Jacob had taken the photos with his own Polaroid camera, but had been kind of seduced or maybe cajoled into doing it. It did happen on the occasion of Todd's last punishment paddling between last Thanksgiving and the Christmas break. Todd Pendergrast had carefully hidden the fact of his own accumulated anger against Jacob for all of his earned paddlings in plotting against Jacob.
After that last paddling session, when it was done, Todd pretended that everything was okay between them, quickly confessing that he had earned all of his paddlings to his trusting and naïve squad leader and that he respected Jacob. Oh, and by the way, let's just take a couple of photos, just for kicks to show to some "stupid jerk ordinary high school friends back home that RMMA boys really do get paddle swats in this day and age." Todd even held Jacob's paddle himself with his right hand as an ironic joke against these "jerk friends" of his, that would "prove", if needed, that Jacob was not holding the paddle, only taking the photos.
What harm would that be, huh? In fact, if anyone asked, Todd said that he would say that he snuck into Jacob's room, took the paddle down from its place and even did the paddling himself, and somehow also taking his own Polaroid camera pictures with the self-timer mechanism. It would be a bonding moment between them, cadet and squad leader, a path to a new relationship and most of all, something for Todd to "fondly" remember of Jacob as time went on.
But wait, the vomit gets more plentiful and putrid.
Fortunately, in the time that it took me to drive home, my father had skillfully done the detective work that I strongly suspected that he would. Major Pendergrast never saw him coming, Dad that is. Why do you think it was that Stephen, Michael and I never got away with anything, ever? If you took a tour of my Dad's study, you would find shelf after shelf of detective novels, some of them so involved, I could not read them. Dad knew them by heart.
When I did get home, Dad took me into his study, the entire problem already solved, for the most part anyway. Jacob was there. He looked like he had been through hell, I knew how that felt, so very well. Dad told me the whole story. I had never listened to my old man tell me anything and get physically nauseated, and even thought about leaving the room. I did then.
My old man tended to keep things close to the vest, having read about that sort of thing in all his detective novels. He knew some things about Major Pendergrast, Todd's Dad, that few people knew. Let's just say, the information was soft, that is, it was enough to make a man think twice about what he was going to do, given the fact that this so-called soft information could actually cause the Major a great deal of legal trouble. That started the ball rolling.
See, the thing was, in enrolling his son at Red Mountain, the Major had aspirations that were entirely self-serving. He simply wanted the power to control the school, and would do anything to get it and only to spite Richards, no other reason, not even for money. This crap went way back between him and Commandant Richards, old "war wounds" as they say. That was one of the things that Dad kept only to itself, just in case. God, I love my Dad.
The problem was, the Major underestimated Commandant Richards and the quality of his school. Todd, his son, was truly cut from the same cloth as his father, but not entirely. No son is entirely his father. It happens, but not in this case. Todd's behavior problems had started long ago at home, but his short time in Jacob's care from September of that year was beginning to change Todd for the better. Yes, he had to receive more discipline than the other boys, but that's how he began to change. In short, it was working and the Major knew he had little time to act or his blackmail plan would fail.
Yes, in essence, Todd was an accessory to his father's crime, but not really.
At first, yes, Todd was an enthusiastic participant in the blackmail. Yes, he would set up Jacob Lightman. Yes, he would continue to act out and get paddlings and finally seduce Jacob into taking the pictures. So, the pictures were indeed procured. The trap was set. And, on the day of his choosing, Major Pendergrast marched himself and his son to the Commandant's office and sprang the trap, launching the harmful charges.
But RMMA had already begun to change Todd and against his father's intentions. All that was required for Todd to relent and confess his participation in the blackmail, was for my Dad to get under the Major's skin. Talk about a piece of cake for my Dad. It turned out that Todd was in the room when my Dad called Major Pendergrast to confront him with his own veiled threats. The Major flew into a rage and immediately and unwisely blamed Todd for the obvious failure of the ruse, right then and there.
Poor Todd. Dad said he and Jacob could hear the Major screaming at Todd, threatening him with even more emotional and physical abuse than the boy had already experienced. But enter Jacob. Thanks to Jacob's consistent and outstanding influence with his cadets and despite all the paddlings from his squad leader, Todd finally saw the light and sided with Jacob.
Todd ignored his father and confessed to the blackmail to Dad, who called the Commandant and the wheels were now going to roll against the Major in a big way. It was over, mostly.
Jacob's first concern was for Todd, he wanted to see Todd and talk to him. Todd had taken care of part of that just before I arrived and had talked to Jacob and my Dad, after he called and talked to Richards. The requirement was simple. Major Pendergrast would have to appear with his son at the Commandant's office in 48 hours and surrender himself at that time to authorities.
Charges would be filed for blackmail, conspiracy to commit blackmail and could range even up to charges of child abuse of his own son, not even to mention corruption of a minor and such in making Todd obtain the photos. The Major relented and gave up. Finally, a break for his son.
At the end of it I was exhausted both from the story and the drive. I looked at my best friend. He knew what I was going to ask.
"I couldn't say anything Greg. I was foolish I know, but Todd had me by the balls and the short hairs, Greg. And I never really thought they would follow through with it. I just got terribly scared and didn't know what to do. I froze. I should never have taken those photos, I was foolish and wrong to even think to do that. I don't know, I just don't know."
I looked at Dad, "Good job Dad, I knew you would get us out of this."
"Well, I'll do anything for my boys." He was looking at Jacob when he said that.
A short while later, Jacob and I were sitting on the edge of my bed together.
"I'm going to have to go before the Disciplinary Committee," he said.
"I know."
"I might lose my squad."
"I doubt that."
"I don't know Greg. I fucked up man."
I slung my arm around my best friend's shoulders, "At least we know what the truth is. man. The truth and the Code are alive and well and that is what counts."
* * * * * * * * * *
After fitful sleep, the next day, we drove back to Red Mountain. Commandant Richards quickly reinstated Jacob to his squad. That did not necessarily mean he could keep it or his ranking, that was for the Committee to decide, but for then, it was the right thing to do. The next day was the big moment. True to his word, Major Pendergrast, with his son, showed up at the Commandant's office. I was there with Jacob a short while before.
After we got there, Federal and State police agents arrived, prepared to arrest the Major after his arrival. When the Major walked in with Todd, it started, "Major John Pendergrast, you are under arrest for violations of …………"
Todd knew it was going to happen, but as he watched them cuff his father, tears started to flow down from his eyes. He looked at his Dad. His Dad looked back. "You failed me," was all the jerk said to his son with a mean-spirited sneer. I could have flown at that asshole and killed him and spared the system.
But as the agents opened the office door and just before the Major was removed from the office, Todd yelled out, "Daddy! I love you!" and started to sob. The Major turned his head and his face looked confused and maybe even a little softer for a moment, then went back into a sneer and that was all, he was taken away.
Jacob rushed to Todd and hugged him, closely. Todd just sobbed and sobbed and sobbed.
The Commandant offered Todd a place to stay in privacy on the grounds for the rest of the day and the evening, if he wished. The Disciplinary Committee would meet the next day, in any case, but Todd Pendergrast finally began to show the backbone and mettle that RMMA tended to put in a boy, from day one. He wanted to be with his squad leader and his mates as soon as possible.
We walked out of the office together. He stopped and looked at Jacob, "Sir, I just wanted you to know …" and then his head dipped down.
"Save it for later cadet for me. If you want to thank someone, thank him," and Jacob looked at me.
Todd turned to face me, snapped up to attention in his civilian clothing and saluted me. I returned the salute.
"Mr. Baker sir! This cadet requests …." and his throat caught a moment, "… that he … hugs the upperclassman, apologizes to him and thanks him for all he has done on Mr. Lightman's behalf and to pass his thanks on to … your father sir, who I want to meet some day."
Even pursed lips could not stop a tear that escaped my eye, "Request approved cadet," I said with a husky voice.
Todd came forward and we embraced. I whispered to him, "I'll make sure you meet my Dad. You'll like him."
"Thank you sir!" he said and stepped back.
I spared myself the emotional reunion between Jacob, Todd and Todd's squad-mates, but Jacob told me later that Todd's mates surrounded him and heaped a whole lot of good natured adolescent ribbing, but also, a lot of love and acceptance back into the group.
I met up with my boys later and told them all that had happened and that save the Committee, it was all over. They begged me to know what would happen to Jacob and Todd. I told them what I guessed would happen, but we would all see and hear the next day.
And so, the next day came. I appeared with and in front of the RMMA Disciplinary Committee on behalf of both my best friend and for Todd Pendergrast as well. Charges were read. Jacob was charged with negligent failure of squad duties and command and egregious loss of judgment in taking the photos, basically the same thing. Todd Pendergrast was charged with egregious violations of the Honor Code including false representation with willful intent to bring harm to a fellow cadet and to the school. Both boys had no additions or objections to the charges. I was especially proud of Todd and at the same time for the influence that Jacob had on Todd's bravery and courage to accept responsibility.
Now the hard parts.
The Commandant started, "Mr. Lightman, in the Committee's judgment you have one of two choices. You may resign your squad but retain rank and academic standing. We feel, in light of the strange and unusual circumstances, that no further punishment would be required. On the other hand and due to a multitude of influences and forces beyond even the Committee's control, you may choose to retain your squad; however, in doing so, you will be required to suffer administrative punishment in the gymnasium at 19:00 tomorrow night before the entire assembled cadet population and staff. It is your choice."
"I choose to retain my squad, sir, and suffer administrative punishment as required, sir!!"
I knew he would do that and was very proud of Jacob for his courage.
"Very well Mr. Lightman." He turned to Todd. "Mr. Pendergrast. The Committee's discussion about you was difficult, heated and controversial to say the least. If you and your family choose for you to depart and voluntarily dis-enroll yourself from Red Mountain, then there will be nothing further to say about the matter. If however, you wish to remain here as a cadet in good standing you will be asked to take responsibility for your actions and suffer punishment as well."
Richards paused but a moment, and then continued, "Mr. Pendergrast, the Committee is very sensitive to the issues surrounding the poor behavior your father needlessly heaped on you. No boy should ever have to have his father do and say the things that he did. The problem for us is that witnesses have attested to, as well as you yourself have admitted to, willful and long term planning of your actions, that they were not spontaneous and that you bragged about them to your squad mates well ahead of their application …" He stopped a moment again with a small sigh. "Therefore, because you are fifteen years of age and are not yet subject to administrative punishment, and if you choose to stay at Red Mountain, you will suffer a lesser, but nonetheless still substantial squad punishment."
We all looked at Todd.
He swallowed, "I will choose to stay at RMMA sir, but with all due respect, and because of Mr. Lightman's example to me every day of every week during my first year here, I request an exception to the rule and that I be allowed to receive administrative punishment in the gymnasium tomorrow night with Mr. Lightman. He is my leader, sir, and my example. I choose to follow him into battle as is required of a cadet in the Honor Code, SIR!"
I was stunned. So was Jacob. So was the Committee. Todd was right about the "battle" part, but I had never thought of it quite the way he just expressed.
The Committee huddled and we waited. Then they sat and Commandant Richards continued, "Your request Mr. Pendergrast, is unusual, but the Committee has ruled to accept your condition. You will indeed join Mr. Lightman in administrative punishment tomorrow evening at 19:00 in the RMMA gymnasium. This Committee is adjourned."
We went outside. Jacob looked at Todd, "You are nuts. You are crazy Mr. Pendergrast."
"SIR YES SIR! Lightman's Lunatics rule SIR!"
"Dismissed, now get out of my sight!"
Todd bounded off. Jacob looked at me, "So, tomorrow night. You'll be my assistant and second?"
"Of course, but what about Todd?"
Jacob sighed, "I'll ask Willy French to assist me, I want you to assist and second Todd, OK?"
I nodded, "Agreed, but tell Todd, I need to talk to him before tomorrow night. At least I can tell him what to expect."
"Yup, you sure can partner. I'll be fine. Willy will be great."
It was agreed.
The next day, and given the unusual circumstances of a 15-year-old cadet submitting himself to administrative punishment, Todd Pendergrast was given a day off from his usual duties and classes. Jacob, on the other hand, declined the privilege and wanted to carry on as usual. That's what I would've expected from him.
Todd, on the other hand, was at my room door at 09:00. I had freed up my day as much as would be needed to prepare Todd. Quite frankly, I was quite skeptical about this whole administrative punishment thing for a boy his age. I knew, if needed, we could change our minds. I had the feeling he was going to go through with it, however and I had better be ready and make him as ready as I could.
I asked him in. Todd was dressed in the uniform for the day. He came in, closed my door and snapped up to attention, saluting me. I returned the salute.
"Mr. Baker SIR! Mr. Lightman instructed me to find you Sir … about my punishment this evening."
I looked at Todd Pendergrast. I knew this boy as well as any of Jacob's crew, just not as personally. He was usually quiet, introspective, and had this funny look in his eye, suspicion or even a touch of paranoia at times. He never felt right to me.
But today, he looked right, steady and even had a little first year swagger. I'm sure he had some inkling of what he was facing, but let's be frank. No boy could ever be ready for an administrative punishment at any age. Nonetheless, he was at least trying to put on a brave face both for himself and for his squad. He had no idea how much that would help, but he would be finding out.
"Come on Mr. Pendergrast, let's go for a walk."
I led us across campus and across the sports fields to the edge of the campus property and fencing. There was a gate there. As long as a boy was with an upperclassman, he could go through that gate with the upperclassman and down to the river beneath. That is what we did. I loved it down there and went down as frequently as I could.
I let him start to ask questions and asked a few minor ones myself. I wanted to get at some of the meat of the matter, as far as I was concerned. Chiefly, his father. I was not going to let Todd go through this unless I was sure that his father had not done things to him that I felt might emotionally endanger him because of the severity of his impending punishment. I was only 17. I was not a doctor or psychologist. But no doctor or psychologist had ever suffered administrative punishment at my Academy. I was the only one qualified, along with all who had gone before me.
I knew that it was not perfect. I knew that there could be things that Todd had not told me that might matter. But I did feel that That Todd was honest with me. Yes, he had been beaten a few times and his emotions were raw from his relationship with his father, but Todd admitted to me that he knew that his father was a sick man and most importantly, none of it was ever his fault.
All the while, he looked down on the river as we talked. We didn't talk only about his Dad and the punishment; we talked about lots of things. Todd had wanted to follow in his father's footsteps in the military, but was not sure now. Mostly, he wanted to talk about Jacob and his influence on his young life. At the end of it, I was thoroughly convinced that just as Todd Pendergrast was following his squad leader into battle with administrative punishment, that someday he would continue onto a military career. I just had that feeling about him.
As we then walked back towards the campus, I filled him in on the details of the punishment procedure. Yes, he had seen my punishment. He had been emotionally moved, just like the others. But in doing so, he would've missed the important details. I told Todd that he would not know the exact number of paddle swats that he would receive that evening until just before. I told him that I suspected that Mr. Lightman would get the same as I did, twenty-five. I also told him that I suspected the same for him, but that the commandant might reduce the number because of his age.
"I want the same number as my squad leader," Todd said adamantly. Brave kid, maybe.
"We'll work it out," I replied and that gave me an idea that I would talk to Richards about.
"What do you think the other guys will think about my punishment?"
"Maybe that's the silver lining Todd. I think you'll be the first 15 year old to do this. And especially if you take the full 25? I suspect you're going to be looked at in a completely different light than before. And let me tell you something, the experience will change you Todd, guaranteed. It changed me."
"How sir?"
"For me, my self-confidence soared even higher than I had enjoyed in four hard years here at the academy. I knew after that, I could accomplish anything that I really wanted to have the guts for. During it, you'll never know more misery. Afterwards, you'll never know more relief. Your squad mates, they'll kind of hover over you and give you a kind of respect that at first may be hard to handle. It's kind of heady really. But you'll know what to do with it. But make no mistake Mr. Pendergrast, while it's happening, you'll wish to God you quit school instead and never did it."
"Yes sir," he said solemnly.
"And another thing, I'll be standing right there so that you can see me. We'll work out a simple signal later. If you need it to stop, I'll make sure it stops."
He just looked at me and said nothing. I just said that last part to make me feel good. He would never let it stop, I already knew that.
"Otherwise, you are going to cry and bawl and yell your fucking head off, so just do it, OK? Hold out as long as you can, don't say any words and then just do it. That's what I did."
So my prep work with Todd Pendergrast was done. I dismissed him, he snapped to attention and saluted me. I returned the salute. He returned to the school by himself. I watched him disappear and then went on with my day.
* * * * * * * * * *
19:00 hours. Willy French and I marched in full dress uniforms in back of Jacob, who marched just head of Todd, who stayed just a step behind in the spirit of the soldier following his commander into battle, both in clean PE kit. It was fitting. Both boys were in their own spaces, but I noticed that each one started to tremble, the closer they got to the gym, just as I did.
We entered the gym and kept going. I noticed Todd's face starting to wilt just a little. He was only fifteen and a first year. I shuffled forward quickly and whispered just behind his right ear, "Steady Mr. Pendergrast, this is your time."
He seemed to settle. The order of punishment was simple and stayed with the theme. Jacob would go first and lead by example, then Todd would follow. The gymnasium was as quiet full as empty. Todd's punishment had been the talk of the school all day, especially among the first years. My boys were either fascinated by his bravery or thought Todd was nuts, maybe a little bit of both I thought.
The boys approached Commandant Richards and stopped, Willy behind Jacob, me just behind Todd. Todd was visibly shaking, but then again, so was Jacob. Richards read the charges and disposition, then the sentences.
"Mr. Lightman will receive twenty-five paddle swats on his bare buttocks, followed by Mr. Pendergrast, also twenty-five."
A small but notable murmur passed through the boys. Richards barked, "Stand down! Silence!"
The place got quieter than before. What they didn't know was that I'd arranged with Richards that I would use a subtle movement of my head if I thought that Todd could not physically take any more than at a certain point. I wasn't sure how I would determine it, I just knew I would know. Similarly, I made the same arrangement with Todd.
The gathering was brought to order, all cadets at full attention and to stay that way.
"Approach the horse Mr. Lightman, strip to your bare buttocks and place yourself over the horse properly."
I leaned forward and whispered in Todd's ear, "Watch his positioning." and that would be all I would say.
Jacob went over the horse. My guts tightened hard. My empathy came in like a 747 landing just then.
Richards stepped forward, "Twenty-five swats of the paddle."
It began. I suppose I kind of hoped that my best friend would fare better than I had, again, mostly for me, but thought so as also not to frighten Todd too much. He didn't. Willy stood by Jacob's head. The gym filled only with the sounds of the crack of the huge paddle at the first, then Jacob's whimpers towards the first third. Richards was really giving him hell. It was the price you pay for being a squad leader and violating code, or as he had, failing in his duties with his squad cadets.
Jacob maybe did last a few more swats than I did before he started to really vocalize and yell hard, then howl towards the end. His body jumped some, his legs mostly, but he always set them down and back in place. I had lost count and actually stopped looking at about swat fifteen. I looked instead at Todd. His face was calm at the first, then slowly degraded into flinches and winces and his fists started to grip and pound his sides. He was the only cadet in the gymnasium that was allowed to not hold a position. Willy was at parade rest in front of Jacob, I stayed at full attention.
I looked over at Jacob's squad. They were reacting the same as my squad had. I was really glad for that for Jacob, but then it was over. Willy quickly came forward and, like I had needed from Jacob, he assisted Jacob to upright. Jacob got himself settled quickly. Todd's face started to chew and move some. I reached forward and tapped his side and his eyes reacted to me and he stopped. Jacob redressed and he and Willy stood back and away.
"Approach the horse Mr. Pendergrast, strip to your bare buttocks and place yourself over the horse properly."
As Todd strode forward, I strode just in back of him and around to the other side of the horse. I stood at parade rest, my face neutral and watched Todd's movements. He dropped his shorts and underwear off, and his face looked unreactive at that point. He put himself over the horse. He had observed Jacob well. I looked over at Jacob then. His face was red. Willy had already helped him wipe and blow snot. His eyes were totally on his cadet, Todd Pendergrast. Todd's hands grasped the bar. He was ready. I then stepped off to my right, Todd's left. I then looked down and fixed my gaze at his head. It would stay there.
Richards took position again. "Twenty-five swats of the paddle."
It began. Todd had been looking down and not at me, that is until that first hard blow. Then his head lurched to his left and I caught his eye. His eyes told me everything I needed to know. His face would contort, mine and Jacob's had. It was all in the eyes. Each paddle swat caused a progressive deterioration of his face and mouth. He already knew that if he let go of the bar or tried to get up, I would have to swoop down and physically hold him. God I did not want to have to do that.
Tears started to flow hard about swat ten. These were not squad paddle swats like from his squad leader. These were meant mainly for upperclassmen. Somewhere about the middle of the count, he lost contact with my eyes and his hands with the bar. I thought he was about to lurch up. I flinched, but he put his hands back, white-knuckling with the best of them. I glanced over at Jacob. His mouth was fixed in a firm frown, the kind that told me that his respect and admiration for his cadet was maximal.
His eyes never wavered from Todd. I glanced at his squad. They were just like for Jacob, only a little more passionate. There were red faces, red eyes and a few tears. I looked at Richards, I never flinched and he didn't either and moved forward. Somehow, this kid was going to make it.
Finally, Todd just cut loose and howled louder than Jacob had. He was sobbing hard in between each howl and his body was too weakened to do much than just involuntarily spasm some. His arms were trembling hard from muscle fatigue and his hands white. I looked at Jacob again. His face had deteriorated. He had a tear running down his left cheek and his prior fierce frown had changed into a closed plea for mercy for his cadet.
Swats twenty-four and twenty-five seemed like they took an eternity, but at the moment of the last strike, I was free to go to him. Hell, I nearly tripped over my own feet as I plummeted down to his head, kneeling. His breathing was hard and plaintive and he was still sobbing and whimpering hard and staring at the puddle of his own sweat at his feet. His gathered up T-shirt was soaked. Sweat dripped down from his face and hair and ears even.
I gently put my hand on his shoulder and he looked at me with eyes that looked tortured and exhausted, but he tried to move.
"Let me do it buddy," I softly whispered and did my job. I got him to standing and rushed around the side. Willy was right there with me and had a towel and quickly toweled some sweat away from him. I held up my handkerchief to Todd's nose. He blew, hard and filled it up. Only then did I start to relax. Willy stood back and I moved around to Todd's backside, found his underwear and gym shorts and pulled them half-way up. He did the rest, slowly and painfully. It was done.
The Commandant approached as Todd and Jacob now re-aligned.
"Well done Mr. Lightman, you are a credit to your name, your family, school and squad, you are dismissed."
"Thank you sir," Jacob replied shaking Richards' hand.
Then he stepped in front of Todd. "Mr. Pendergrast. You impressed me young man. Well done. You are a credit to yourself, your squad, your school and your family. You are dismissed."
"Thank you sir," he said. I heard it in his voice. He had already been changed.
The room was dismissed as we waited, except for Todd's mates, Jacob's cadets. Then we walked in unison outside of the gym and towards the barracks slowly, Todd and Jacob leading and both limping. Just as we approached the barracks, Jacob stopped us and held up his hand as he and Todd proceeded alone into the building. We waited, but I could see them standing a bit away into the hallway through a narrow tall window in the side of the building. Jacob's hand was firmly up on Todd's shoulder as he talked. It was the only time I wished I could have been a mouse in the corner.
Then Todd backed away, snapped to attention and saluted his squad leader who then stepped back and came outside.
"OK, you guys have a comrade to take care of." The boys practically ran toward Todd.
Willy faced Jake, "Thanks for asking me to help man. It was an honor," and they shook hands and then he took off.
I strode forward and into the building. Jacob had already told his boys to take Todd to his dorm room. Todd would not lack for respect and admiration and a lot of very verbal adolescent support from his mates.
"Come on Lightman, to your room." I said. He limped in and I closed the door. His boys would eventually want in and I would let them, but not before I addressed my best friend as he laid on his stomach, having peeled off his shorts and underwear. His bottom was a mess, a total disaster like I had suffered. He let out a huge sigh and I sat at his bedside.
"So, not so bad huh?" I smiled.
He chuckled, "Fuckin' harsh, man."
"Todd?" I asked.
"He's OK. He'll be fine. He's, um … well, let's just say that he wants to show his squad some leadership ability the rest of the term and year. I encouraged him."
"I'll go get some ice," I said. He nodded. As soon as I opened the door, there was the ice, along with five anxious cadets. I let them swoop in and take care of their cherished leader. I heard the words from the boys, "stud," "awesome" and such. I smiled. I would not be staying long that night. There was no feeling, sexually that is. The events leading up to the punishments were far too, well, "fuckin' harsh" and we were all exhausted and spent.
As I walked through the cold air back to my boys, I realized that spring break was only a few weeks away. I smiled. I loved spring break and missed my family. I missed Dad, a lot, and Mom and Steven and Michael. I wasn't psychic, far from it, but I already knew who was going home with me for that wonderful week. There would be Jacob of course, but in the back seat would be the third part of our trio, our special brotherhood, Todd Pendergrast.
Todd needed and wanted to meet my Dad and would. He needed and would want to have Michael clamoring to climb up on his back and he would let Michael do that. He would have two protective "big brothers" to give him a bad time and we would, and Steve would be there too, and we all would do things together, the three or four or five of us. It was going to be cool for sure, but mostly, it would be a time just to chill and just be guys, together.
© Copyright PJ Franklin February 9, 2013
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