The Life of Buddy

Chapter VI

       It was shortly after five o'clock when forty five year old Burt Johnson reached home.  He walked into the kitchen where he found Brandon sitting at his laptop.  The boy quickly stood up and stood at attention staring at one spot on the opposite wall. 

       Burt was a man of discipline.  He believed that his children should have rules to follow.  And consequences if they failed to abide by them.   One of his rules was that they had to stand when an adult entered the room.  And it did not matter that Brandon was an adult now himself.  If he was living in his house he would stand for an adult out of respect even if that adult was just one year older than him.

          He had drilled respect of elders into his boys that he hoped would last even when they were no longer living under his roof.

             The black haired man said nothing to his son as he walked to the fridge.  Brandon did not watch him instead keeping his eyes focused on the wall like was expected of him.  He opened it, pulled out a bottle of beer, took inventory of the ones that remained and then closed the door.  He was glad to find that there were none missing.

              Burt then sat down, opened the beer and took a swig of it while giving Brandon a look of approval.

               "You can be seated son." 

               Brandon relaxed, well as much as he was capable of relaxing in the presence of his father.

                "Thank you sir."  He then sat down.

               Burt took another swig.  "Where is Buddy?"  The boy should be at the table finishing his homework. 

                "In his room doing his homework."  He replied.  He thought how his father had probably not noticed that he had gotten his haircut.

                "In his room?"  He questioned.  "Did he get into trouble today."

               "Um yes sir."  He said feeling his discomfort increase.  "I sent you a text about it."

               "You sent me a text."  He said in surprise.  He then quickly fished the phone out of his pocket.

               "Yes telling you how he had disobeyed me and I had to give him a couple of swats to get him back in line."

                "I didn't get a text."  His father gruffly said.

                 Well you can't get what you don't look at daddy he thought.  He opened his flip phone and looked at his text app which told him that he had fourteen unread texts.  He opened the text and began to read it.

                 "But I did not have him to go to his room as punishment daddy."  He told him.  "I just wanted him in his room today."

                  He looked up for a moment and said "Oh."   He then closed the phone and asked "Does he require any further punishment?"

               Brandon shook his head.  "No sir.  His attitude was fine the rest of the afternoon."

               "That's good."

              The picture then came into his mind and Brandon was about to tell his father about it when a woman in her early forties walked in.  He quickly snapped to attention again.

              "Please sit down honey."  Elizabeth said in a exasperated tone.  She was a strong believer in discipline but hated some of the things that her husband made the boys do.  "Sharp hair cut."

                "Thank you momma."  He said and then quickly clicked out of the page that he was looking at on his laptop.  It was not time for that discussion yet.

                "Oh you got your haircut."  Burt gave his son a look of approval.  "Looks good son."

                  "Where is your brother?"  Elizabeth asked.

                "In his room." He answered. 

                 He was about to tell them about the photo when he was cut off again.  "When was the last time you checked on him?"

                 "About an hour or so ago."  Honestly he had not look in on him since sending him to his room.  He did not see a need to check on his activities every ten minutes and he knew if his brother needed something that he was more than capable of coming to him.

                 He saw a quick look of disapproval in her eyes.  "Why don't you go check on him while I start dinner."

                 "Okay."  He said.  Brandon grabbed his laptop and walked around the table.   His mother stopped him and gave him a kiss on the cheek telling him again that he looked nice. She then gave the back of his head a slight rub.  He thanked her and headed out of the kitchen.

                 The second floor had three bedrooms.  The master bedroom was at the end of the hall.  Brandon's room was on the right next to the bathroom that he and Brian shared.   Brian's which was the smallest was on the left  which was next to a closet.

                 The door was closed.  He knocked on it and then walked in.  Brian who had been sitting at his desk facing the wall stood at attention just like his brother had done earlier.  He had to admit one of the things that he trouble getting use to since turning an adult was his younger brothers standing for him when he entered the room.

                Brandon said nothing to him.  Instead he walked over to book bag that laid on the bed and give it a quick inspection.  Inside where just some folders, a text book, and a couple of loose pens.   He then sat the bag down and said "You can sit Buddy."  Buddy sat down and Brandon walked over to him and placed his hand on his shoulder.  "How is your homework coming?"

               "I'm almost done."  he said.  "I just have to finish these Chemistry questions and then study for Geography quiz."

               He gave his brother an affectionate squeeze on the shoulder and then walked over to the bed.  "I will help you study for your quiz after dinner."

               You don't have to do that he thought.

               Brandon then eyed the thick belt that hung on the post of at the end of the bed.   He could not but cringe at the sight of it.  It was their daddy's whipping belt which he had been on receiving end often.

               Brandon reached over and picked up the belt and inspected it.  He said a silent thank you that he was now eighteen and it was no longer applied to his backside.  Sure he was still punished in other ways by his parents or Ben but no more spankings, paddlings, or whippings.

                  "I'm finished."  Brian announced with joy in his voice.  He got up from the desk and turned to see his brother holding the dreaded instrument of discipline.  His skin went pale, a lump formed in his throat, and his face twisted into horror.   "Am I getting a whipping?"

              Brian did not even wait for a reply.  The paper that he was holding dropped from his hand, he then instinctively bent over grabbed his ankles and braced himself for the beating that was coming.