Ivor Slipper

It would indeed seem the football and swim teams have been given licence with regard to Wayne & Ethan. To what extent, if any, Jackson and/or Reynolds may be involved is currently unknown. Ethan & Wayne have legitimately been caught breaking the rules, Assuming a paddling is a specified consequence it is hard to see how Ethan's parents can raise the roof if that happens.

I think it is hardly surprising that the attitude at the top filters down to school level. The best hope for Wayne's father is almost certainy parole. However, bearing in mind who he is, even that seems improbable. I'm sure Ethan won't mind using his hands, but definitely hopes it won't be necessary to soothe the pain of bruising.

I think you have Jackson figured @weinerdog 😀 And yes, she may well be seeing into the future.

I'm sure there will be some interesting happenings as time goes by.

Indeed it was @chris191070 You'll have to wait until the next chapter to see if your suspicions are correct. 🙂

Mom was surprised to see us when we walked into the house at our normal time. “I thought you two were going to the swim trials after school today?” “We were,” I answered, “but something occurred to change our minds.” “Uh oh, do we need another family conference tonight?” “I can tell you now, but maybe it'd be best if we told both of you over dinner.” “Alright, I can wait. There used to be a time though when you told your mom everything.” She was smiling as she said

I'm waiting for the Mekon to take over the earth, but am hopeful Dan Dare will prevent that. 😀

True, but it is the proving it that is the problem, especially if you are someone like Wayne.

Small price perhaps if he'd only been paddled a couple of times, but not on an almost daily basis I'd say. Maybe though Wayne may think differently in time. Somehow I don't see Ethan volunteering for that role. As for Mr Jackson, time will tell...

Okay. I just wasn't sure to which sentence of Geron's comment you were referring.

Both of those would rate as 'cruel and unusual' in my book. Glad you avoided a personal experience of either. If you've not already discovered, this story is not set in current times.

Not quite sure how to interpret that comment!

I suppose you can have too much of a good thing...

Hey, was that another rant? @ColumbusGuy😀😀 I don't mind at all though as I think it's good the story can stir some emotions.

That's definitely another story! Glad to hear you want to read more.

Thanks for confirming my beliefs. The USA may be one country, but in some ways it can be 50 different ones. 🙂

Appreciate the comment. @travlbug has kindly answered for me the first point you raised. I am sure though youare correct on the second one.

Ethan knows the coach has referred to Wayne as 'the breed', so I'd say it's fairly obvious he's in the a-hole category. Especially as he's also agreed to let the team captain carry out his initiation scheme. I think if they went to the trials they'd be in a 'no win' situation.

Ethan's stated the obvious and probably wasted his breath, but wanted to let someone know how he sees the school.

A lot of interesting points @travlbug. I'll do my best to answer them. Firstly, the story isn't set in current time. There isn't a specific date, but to my mind it is in the mid/late 80s to early 90s. The Texas law on cp may well have been different then. People I have talked to who were kids in Texas then believe cp was not subject to such requirements. Indeed, I have heard that almost the opposite applied where after being paddled a kid would be given a note to take home to be signed by his parents. In some cases this would result in the kid being beaten again! It would seem that Wayne's mother has virtually abandoned him to his own devices since her husband went to jail. Her own survival is her only real concern. In that situation I'm sure she doesn't even know Wayne has ever been paddled at school - he certaibly wouldn't tell her. I take your point about the swim team initiation. It could be though that something similar is generally known to be a requirement for admission and thus there are very few wanting to join...

Sure looks that way. But, as you say, Ethan's parents are now aware of what is happening to them at school.

Watch this space Gary

It was strange how the time when we were cycling home after school had become a time for significant conversations between us. However, there wasn't any real opportunity to talk at school, especially now our lunch break was no longer solitary. It did give us a chance to talk about things without the possibility of being overheard, or indeed giving my parents the idea that we were keeping secrets from them. “Ethan, I think you need to tell your father about the conversation Willy overheard.”

I'll try not to let you down. Maybe what happened to the Native Americans in the US was only to be expected considering what happened to the Aztecs & Incas in South America. the Aborigines in Australia etc. etc. One would hope things have changed in more enlightened times.

It has been my pleasure. Rarely have my comments been more deserved. And one final thought on Toto and Michele's pendants. Swifts fly away each year from the place they were born, but they always return there for as long as they are able.