When Shane learned of Ralph’s actions, he was as angry as Grace had been.

"I’ve said it before," he said over dinner, "and I’ll say it again: they should reinstate corporal punishment in our school system! That’s what brats like Ralph need, a good spanking. I’ve often been tempted to talk to his dad. That man’s far too easy on him."

"Yes," Grace agreed. "I heard Mr. Brinckman at the hospital today. He says Boys just need a little more time than girls, then they’ll catch on."

Shane snorted. Randy scowled.

"That’s stupid!" Shane growled. "At this rate, he’ll never learn to respect men or boys. Who wants a son like that? I tell you, that man’s wearing blinkers!"

"What are blinkers?" Randy asked curiously.

"It’s a figure of speech, son," Shane explained. "It means Mr. Brinckman’s refusing to see his own son’s faults."

Little did they know what was going on at the Brinckman household.

As it turned out, Mrs. Oliver herself had informed Mrs. Brinckman of what Ralph had done. Mrs. Brinckman was in a fury. She was relieved that Darwin hadn’t been injured, but this was the final straw as far as teasing was concerned. This time, she would let Ralph have it!

The next day, she set to work. It was her half-day at the training center. Ralph was going to a friend’s house after school to study, and wouldn’t be home until dinner time. Her husband had left on business that morning, and wasn’t due home until just before Halloween. That gave her a golden opportunity. Her first stop after work was the medical supply store. There, she ran in to Barry Hiller.

"What can I do for you, Mrs. Brinckman?" he asked, smiling.

"I’d like to buy a case of the thickest disposables you sell," Mrs. Brinckman answered. "And a dozen of the heaviest cloth diapers."

"Hmmm," Barry said. "Ralph been acting up again?"

"Yes," the woman answered. "I did warn him, but he just won’t smarten up. And where can I get some of those oversized baby clothes I’ve heard about?"

When Mrs. Brinckman got home, her bank account was somewhat lighter, but her car was loaded. Barry had set her up with two dozen heavy-weight cloth diapers of the sort designed for total incontinence. With them went a supply of stout plastic pants, either transparent or striped. He’d also given her a stalk of heavy disposables for school. Next, she’d visited a store that catered to adult- and teenbabies, where she purchased an assortment of clothes with the most juvenile patterns she could find.

As soon as she got home, she gathered all Ralph’s "big boy" clothes, locked them in her bedroom and replaced them with the new ones. Only his jackets did she leave out, in the front hall closet.

"Pity I can’t get an over-sized crib or stroller," she muttered as she put away the boxes. "A highchair wouldn’t hurt either. Still, I can manage. Maybe the embarrassment will be enough."

* * *

When Ralph came home from the study date, he suspected nothing. He dropped his backpack, took off his jacket and shoes and went to the kitchen to greet his mother. Only then did he begin to feel that trouble lay ahead. Mrs. Brinckman was not smiling as she greeted her son.

"I heard all about what happened yesterday," she said, going straight to the point.

"You are house campussed for the rest of this month, effective tonight."

"What does that mean?" Ralph asked.

"It means you will not leave the house except to go to school or when you’re with me," Mrs. Brinckman said. "And you will wear diapers full time until November 30, including school."

Ralph blanched. He’d been punished before, of course, but never like this!

"But Mum!" he protested. "What about volleyball practice? I’m on the team!"

"Too bad," Mrs. Brinckman answered. "You should have thought of that before."

"And what about Halloween?" Ralph persisted desperately.

"Forget it!" his mother snapped. "Unless you want to go out as a baby. Now let’s get your diaper on before our company arrive."

"Company?" Ralph gasped, turning white. "What company?"

"The Wolfes," Mrs. Brinckman replied. "Now get your butt upstairs."

When Randy learned that he and his parents were going to the Brinckmans for dinner that evening, he was shocked.

"What’s going on, Mum?" he asked. "Ralph would never invite me to dinner."

"He didn’t," Grace said. "His mum did. She has something to show us."

Randy finished his homework quickly and Grace helped him in to a fresh diaper. Then he put on a pair of navy corduroys, with vest to match, and a white shirt. This was not his best suit, but it made him look very grown up, in spite of the diapers. Grace too looked smart, in a beige skirt and sweater with a pretty print blouse. Shane wore an outfit similar to Randy’s except that his shirt was striped.

The Brinckmans lived in a large house on the other side of town. When the Wolfes arrived, the first thing they saw was Ralph, standing at the front door. He’d obviously been told to watch for them. Despite himself, Randy burst in to laughter at the sight of him. He was dressed in a diaper so thick that he could hardly waddle. His t-shirt only covered the top few inches and seemed to accentuate the bulk. Even Shane and Grace were hard pressed to hold themselves together. Ralph turned scarlet.

"Mum, they’re here!" he called.

Mrs. Brinckman appeared seconds later, looking smart in a print dress that hung to her calves. Ralph tried to duck behind her, but she cuffed him on the head.

"That’s bad manners!" she scolded loudly. "You greet our guests properly!"

Ralph, still scarlet from the neck up, held out his hand as the Wolfes approached the door.

"Hello, Mr. And Mrs. Wolfe," he said in a small voice. "Hi, Randy."

All three of the Wolfes were grinning as they removed their shoes.

"Take them in to the living room," Mrs. Brinckman instructed Ralph, as though he were about three.

Ralph waddled ahead of them in to the large living room. They made themselves comfortable and Mrs. Brinckman disappeared briefly in to the kitchen. Ralph started to follow her, desperate to get out of sight.

"Oh no you don’t!" Mrs. Brinckman scolded. "You go sit with our guests! You know better than to walk away from company!"

Ralph returned and sat in the armchair across from the couch.

"So," Grace said, unable to resist, "I see you didn’t learn from your last lesson."

"Please!" Ralph begged. "I was only----"

"Stop that!" Mrs. Brinckman snapped as she came through from the kitchen with a tray of appetizers. "Or I’ll spank you here and now!"

Ralph glared. Now it was Shane’s turn to speak out.

"Maybe this’ll teach you to respect others, boy," he said. "How can you be so cruel as to make fun of people for things they can’t help?"

"I didn’t hurt him!" Ralph persisted.

"You probably hurt his feelings!" Mrs. Brinckman snapped. "Mrs. Oliver was almost in tears when she told me what you’d done and said. It’s high time you learned how it feels to be teased."

She placed the tray on the table and invited everyone to help themselves. Randy looked at the big plate, and grinned.

"Mmmmm! Mushroom caps!" he cried, "one of my favourites!"

"They do look delicious," Shane agreed, taking one. "How do you make them?"

"Easy," Mrs. Brinckman laughed. "You just fill some nice big mushroom caps with seasoned cheese or seafood mix, then stick them under the broiler until they’re golden."

Ralph reached toward the plate, but his mum slapped his hand away.

"Babies don’t eat these," she cooed. "And bad babies don’t get treats. Here’s yours." She indicated a large bottle.

"I’m not a baby!" Ralph shouted furiously.

"Prove it!" Randy sneered.

Ralph opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Mrs. Brinckman popped the fat nipple in to it. Ralph, his face as red as his hair, drank the contents as quickly as he could, egged on by threats of missing dinner.

"YUCK!" he spat when his mother finally removed the nipple.

"What was it?" Randy asked.

"Formula!" Ralph sputtered.

By this time, dinner was nearly ready. Mrs. Brinckman had put together a delicious chicken casserole. As they entered the dining room, Randy noticed that one of the chairs had been fixed up for Ralph. The seat was covered with an absorbent pad, and a heavy wev belt hung over the back, next to a Winnie-the-Pooh bib. Once everyone had seated themselves, Mrs. Brinckman brought Ralph in. She strapped him in to the chair and tied his bib on. Then she brought in the casserole, hot and bubbly. Ralph glanced hopefully at the big dish, but Mrs. Brinckman shook her head.

"Yours is coming," she told him.

As the wolfes began serving themselves, Mrs. Brinckman slipped back in to the kitchen and soon reappeared with three junior-sized food jars. One contained squash, another held chicken and rice, and the third was chocolate pudding. Ralph’s eyes blazed.

"Not that stuff!" he cried.

"Too bad, baby, Mrs. Brinckman cooed.

"Sop calling me a baby!" Ralph yelled, now angrier than ever. "I’m not! And I hate squash!"

"You’re sure acting like one," Grace observed.

"Can’t I at least have normal food?" Ralph begged.

"I told you you’d get the full treatment if you misbehaved," Mrs. Brinckman said coldly. "If you don’t like it, remember that you brought it upon yourself. Now sit quietly while we eat."

Ralph knew he was defeated. He sat there, glaring at everyone as they ate. It wasn’t until she was halfway through her dinner that Mrs. Brinckman reached for the first jar and a small spoon.

"Mum!" Ralph burst out, turning scarlet again. "Why do you have to do this in front of people? Can’t I----?"

"Eat!" his mother commanded, "or go without!"

So Ralph had to let her spoon-feed him. All three of the Wolfes were grinning ear to ear as they watched. At last it was over. Ralph then had to watch as they ate a yummy apple crisp for dessert.

"This is Great!" Grace praised as she finished. "Do you think I could have the recipe?"

"Sure," Mrs. Brinckman replied. "I’ll give you a copy before you go."

Everyone went back to the living room while Mrs. Brinckman cleared the table. Ralph kept fidgeting in his chair.

"What’s wrong?" Grace asked.

"I need to go," Ralph complained.

Three pairs of eyes promptly fixed on his crotch. It was obvious that he’d already wet at least once.

"But I need to poop," Ralph persisted.

"What’s this?" Mrs. Brinckman asked, coming through from the kitchen.

"I need to poop," Ralph repeated.

"Do it then," his mother answered. "It’s nearly your bath time anyway."

"Bath time? But it’s only seven-thirty!"

Ralph turned to Randy, his brows raised.

"I don’t know. I don’t poop my pants," Randy said in answer to the unasked question. "Only babies do that.

"Stop it!" Ralph snapped.

"Stop what?" Randy asked innocently.

"Stop calling me a baby!" Ralph hissed.

"So," Shane said. "Now you know why Mrs. Oliver was so upset. And think how Darwin must have felt about being called a pig."

Ralph was about to reply when his bowels went in to action. There was an audible gurgling sound, then a nasty smell began to fill the air.

"Phew!" Randy gasped before he could stop himself.

Shane and Grace both wrinkled their noses.

"Muuuuuum!" Ralph wailed.

Mrs. Brinckman, who’d gone up to prepare Ralph’s bath, came back in at that moment. She paused as her nose told her what had happened.

"Come on, stinker," she said. "In to the bath with you."

With a hasty apology to the Wolfes, she hustled her son upstairs. His full diaper made him waddle worse than ever. When the two returned, some time later, the smell of baby powder preceded them in to the room. Ralph was now dressed in an even thicker diaper and a blue, footed, cotton sleeper with a fat, diapered teddy bear on the front. All three of the Wolfes roared with laughter. Ralph burst in to tears and tried to run back upstairs.

"Say goodnight," Mrs. Brinckman cooed.

So Ralph had to go up to each of them in turn. Shane and Grace managed to control themselves enough to respond, but Randy couldn’t stop smirking.

The Wolfes left soon after Ralph was in bed, Grace happily clutching a copy of Mrs. Brinckman’s apple crisp recipe.