From the Top Shelf - Hide in Plain Sight, part 2

Last week we began a series of letters written by Mary Beth, who is in a witness protection program somewhere in the southern US, to her friend Sally. Jolene, whose ranch she is hiding out in, is a strict disciplinarian, although Mary Beth herself is exempt from punishment. The letters continue...

July 5
Dear Sally,

Today I saw Debby get it. That’s Jolene’s middle daughter. She snuck out with some boy at the 4th of July church picnic which is a big no-no around here. I was in the barn petting the horses when Dot came up to me and tugged on my arm, saying to come with her. There is a shed out back where they store wood for the fireplace. Dot told me that when Jolene is really mad at one of her own, she takes her out back to that shed so no one will hear. She told me on the way that Debby was really going to get it on account of skipping out with that boy. She said we had to be quiet but there was a place with a hole though the boards so we could see. I asked wasn’t she afraid her ma would see her, and she said it was worth it to see Debby get her sassy butt whipped good and proper. Well, we snuck back there behind the shed and got down in the weeds. Sure enough before long here came Jolene pulling Debby along by the arm. Debby was pleading with her ma, begging her for another chance, anything to get out of that whipping, but Jolene had made her mind up.

Inside the shed there is a big log held between two frames. Jolene pointed to it and told Debby to get herself ready. Debby started to cry but Jolene just scolded her and told her she had this coming and to get across that log with her skirts up. Debby hoisted her skirts and laid across the log. This put her behind up, positioned just right to get a licking. Hanging on the wall was this black strap with a wooden handle and Jolene got it and swished it around, all the time telling Debby how she was never to sneak off with a boy again. Debby was pleading with “yes, momma” and “please no, momma” but Jolene said she was due a good strapping and to get ready. She put the strap under her arm and stepped up and peeled Debby’s bloomers down to make her bottom completely bare. It must be awful having your bare white butt exposed like that waiting to feel hot licks from a leather strap. But I felt excited to watch. Then Jolene told her daughter to hold on and not get up no matter what.

I thought the hairbrush spankings looked bad, but that strap! Let me tell you, that black strap smacked Debby’s behind making a sound like a firecracker went off. Debby shrieked and drummed her toes on the dirt floor. Her butt had a big red band across it. Jolene told her to keep still. Then she drew back and whipped the strap down again to let her have another one. Debby let out another wail. Now I saw why Jolene took the girls out to this shed for a licking with the strap. It’s noisy, the sharp smack, the crying and wailing. She took her time, scolding Debby between smacks, but she gave her twelve good hard licks and Debby was blubbering and crying through it all. Her butt was beet red. After it was over, she told her to get up and get back in the house. It was really something to see, Debby wailing and hopping foot to foot, trying to rub the sting out. But just as Jolene was leaving, she must have heard us because she asked who was there. At first Dot and I said nothing, but Jolene came around outside and caught us. Well, she gave us hell for spying and she told Dot she’d see her at bedtime. Dot froze and put her hands back like she was protecting her bottom when she heard that. Then Jolene turned to me and said how it was too bad I wasn’t subject to her household rules or I’d be getting a licking too. That made me shiver, like a cold knot up my spine. Me, get a spanking? She gave me a hard look and said she’d take it up with Raylin. I’m not scared of Raylin, because he wouldn’t dare lay a hand on me without daddy’s permission, so there.


That night before bed Jolene motioned to poor Dot and upstairs she went. All the rest of us were sitting downstairs and we got very quiet. After awhile you could hear this sharp smacking sound and Kate said that Dot was getting her bare bottom tanned by her momma’s hand. It went on for quite a while and I could imagine little Dot squirming across her momma’s knee as she got her bare bottom spanked. Then she looked and me and told me how lucky it was that it wasn’t me.

More later,
Mary Beth

How long will Mary Beth's luck hold out? We shall see!