Billy's Mom

Billy’s Mom

Back in the summer of 1965, when I was 7, I met, quite by chance, a boy, of my own age, called Billy. He lived in a trailer with his Mother and Sister, Pamala, in a fairly run down trailer park. His family were what were/are often referred to, not always fairly, as ‘trailer or white trash’! Billy was a nice kid who simply came from ‘the wrong side of the tracks’! That summer we spent a lot of time together playing outside and enjoying the usual games; Cowboys and Indians, Cops and Robbers, etc… . Sometimes on our own, sometimes with other kids we met up with.

Not far from the trailer park was a warehouse surrounded by a semi-derelict yard which was full of old and rusty trucks, vans and other decrepit vehicles. To all intents and purposes it was private property and we kids were warned to stay away from there! Billy’s Mom had, herself, told him that “the warehouse yard was off-limits” and that if she ever found out he was playing there he would get “the Mother of all Spankings”!!!! But the temptation to play there was too great; as it was the perfect place for all of our games. For the best part of a week we played there quite happily; Billy’s Mom none the wiser to where we were going when we went out to play. But on the Thursday of that week, it was the Summer Holiday, Billy’s Sister, Pamala, who was a ‘nasty piece of work’, secretly followed us down there and then returned home to report our ‘misdemeanor’ to her Mother. When we returned back to the trailer that afternoon hoping for a soda pop and a cookie, which if she was in a good mood, Billy’s Mom would sometimes give us, we quickly sensed something was not right! His Mom and one of the other trailer park mothers, Barbara, were sitting at the table playing cards. They were drinking whisky and smoking and Pamala was reading a magazine with a truly malevolent grin on her face! Billy asked his Mom whether we could have some refreshments but was immediately confronted with the question; “And where have you been this morning”? Stuttering, Billy replied, “At the sandpit, Mom”! “That’s funny”, his Mom immediately responded, “because your Sister says she saw you and your friend at the warehouse yard, playing amongst the old ‘rust buckets’! Billy again denied having been there but under further questioning from his Mother, with a stern warning about “the consequences of lying” admitted where he/we had really been. With a grim, yet satisfied, smile on her face she asked, turning to face her friend, “And what would you do now, Barbara”? “If he was my kid, Angie, I would tan his bare behind with the strap”! Billy’s Mom nodded her head in approval, saying, “Now that is a good idea; perhaps next time you can bring the strap with you”! “Be my pleasure”, answered Barbara! Angie then turned to Billy, saying; “Now then, let’s get down to business! Lose the pants, William”! My desperate friend, like nearly all kids in his position, went through all the usual pleading and begging until his Mother cut him short, saying; “William if I have to remove them myself it will MUCH, MUCH WORSE for you”!! Billy then dropped his pants to his ankles and stepped out of them. He was not wearing any underwear, so from the waist down was completely naked. His hands shot up immediately to cover his privates to which his mother remarked; “Oh Billy your Sister and Pam have seen it all before! No need to be so shy”!! To which they both chuckled! She then got up from the table, sat down on the sofa bed, and flung Billy over her knee. His pale, slim little bottom fully exposed, his Mom went on to deliver what was indeed THE MOTHER OF ALL SPANKINGS!! The slaps were fast and furious and after just 3 of them his button was red all over! Angie had quite big hands with long fingers. She received social security from the State but supplemented it by cleaning some of the other trailers in the park and doing a few odd jobs there as well. In hindsight life had obviously not been kind to her, and Angie’s rough, leathery hands seemed to reflect that. She certainly knew how to administer a spanking and for what must have been a good couple of minutes there was no let up! With each scorching slap Billy’s butt cheeks grew redder and redder and looked incredibly sore and hot! He howled and sobbed his way throughout the spanking and the tears flowed! Billy’s Mom was not a particularly methodical spanker; she just spanked away until the skin on both buttocks was a deep and uniform red! As the spanking progressed l could hardly take my eyes off it and when I briefly did it was to observe the expressions on the faces of Pamala and Barbara. Pamala was grinning from ear to ear; thoroughly enjoying her Brother’s pain and misery! Barbara had that look of quiet satisfaction and slight amusement on her face! It was a look that I saw so often on the faces of adults when some kid was getting a spanking! Motivated, I think, by the belief that ‘wrongdoing’ was being punished, that justice was being administered and the memories that they, themselves, had of the spankings and whippings they had received when growing up! How nice it was,as they had once been, to no longer be on the receiving end! When she had finished giving Billy his spanking Angie pushed him on to the floor telling him; “And in future STAY AWAY FROM THE WAREHOUSE YARD”! He fell on to the floor, landing on his sore and tender bottom, and after yelping in pain immediately jumped up and began to frantically rub his butt cheeks! His Mom then turned to Pamala and Barbara and asked them the rhetorical question; “Do you think he has learned his lesson”? To which they both replied in unison; “I think he sure has”!!

Angie then turned to me and said; “And I suppose I ought to escort you home now and tell your Mom just what you have been up to, young man”! “Please, please, please don’t tell her”, I pleaded! “Mommy gonna give you a spanking, is she”? She asked with evident satisfaction. I meekly nodded my head. “How does your Momma spank? Angie asked, clearly enjoying my discomfort. “The Hairbrush”, I mumbled. “I guess that’s something you really would like to avoid, hey! Again I nervously nodded! “Well then”, she said, “I guess I need to take care of this myself”! And with that she strode over to where I was standing and dragged me over to the sofa bed. Sitting back down she hurled me over her knee and, in what seemed like no time at all, yanked my pants and underwear down. Angie then set about lighting a bonfire on my backside! The spanking was every bit as long, hard and painful as Billy’s! BOY DID IT EVER HURT!!!! Her hand was REALLY HARD!!!! To this day I have never had a hand spanking harder than that one! Just when I thought my butt cheeks could not get any hotter and sorer than they already were; they did! By the time she was done with me and had dumped me on the floor, my bottom was ablaze! I literally danced around that trailer desperately trying to extinguish the flames consuming my behind! My ‘Red Indian Dance’ - to use the vernacular of the times (this was 1965 remember) nowadays they would quite rightly be referred to as ‘Native Americans’ - amused the 3 ladies in the room, providing them with some ‘post-spanking’ entertainment! Any modesty I might have had was completely forgotten! When I had composed myself a little, Billy’s Mom, told us to put our pants back on - mine had been kicked off during the spanking - and told us to go out and play and not to come back to the early evening so that she and Barbara could continue with their game of cards. As we left the trailer she reminded us, not that we needed reminding, to “STAY AWAY from the warehouse yard! OR ELSE”!! As we walked away from the trailer we saw that a number of the other moms and even one of the fathers had gathered near to the trailer, obviously attracted by the sound of the spanking and our vocal reactions! Also alongside them were some kids; 2 girls and a boy! What was noticeable was the contrasting expressions on their faces; the grown ups, all smiles and lots of laughter and chuckles; the children, a mixture of fear, sympathy and empathy! Knowing just how easily it could have been them in our position; how often in the past it would have been; and how often in the future it inevitably would be! Also the fear that the spankings just heard might remind their parents of some recent misdemeanor they had committed and result in their own bottoms being blistered!

Billy and I went off to some secluded bushes to examine the damage done to our rear ends! They were both still very hot, sore and tender to the touch! After that we went off to a nearby stream, stripped off and bathed our scorched buttocks in the cool water. It brought us some relief but our bottoms still hurt! Though at least we were able to alleviate some of the discomfort for the rest of the afternoon. Come early evening I walked back with Billy to his trailer, said goodbye, then went home myself. I went up to my room, after having had the family evening meal - sitting was fairly uncomfortable - then when that was over, went up to my bedroom and read comics before going to bed. At least this way l could lie on my front, leave my buttocks uncovered and make myself as comfortable as possible. l slept on my tummy for most of the night! I managed to conceal my bottom from my mother and thus avoided another spanking! The following morning the redness and heat had died down considerably; though finger marks were still highly visible. However, my butt cheeks were still very sensitive and tender! By Saturday the redness had completely gone and the finger marks were fading fast; sitting was no longer uncomfortable! Fortunately by Sunday nearly all traces of the spanking had disappeared which was just as well as Sunday Evening was Bath Night. Mom did actually notice some unusual marks on my bottom cheeks but I managed to convince her that they were simply from playing! Thankfully she believed me and was none the wiser!

I called on Billy that Monday and his Mom, strangely enough, seemed a lot friendlier! She started calling me by my Christian name and even treated me and Billy to some pizzas and ice cream. The spanking, funnily enough, seemed to have made her more approachable. I played with Billy many more times that holiday and we both managed to avoid any more spankings from Angie! Though she occasionally warned us about staying away from the warehouse yard. Pamala, though, did get a spanking that summer! Apparently Angie got sick and tired of her constant eye rolling, sarcasm and general attitude and gave her, according to Billy, THE SPANKING OF HER LIFE!!!!

Then one day, as Fall was approaching, I went up to play with Billy only to find out, courtesy of Barbara and her son Adam, that they had moved on. Angie had met this man, it had developed into a relationship and they had relocated somewhere else.

That spanking remains a very special memory for me for a number of reasons: firstly, it was one hell of a spanking, as hard a hand spanking as I ever was given; secondly, it is a constant reminder of my friendship with Billy; a friend who l grew truly fond of; thirdly, it was an example of how easy it was to get a spanking back in those days! Kids back then had to be on their guard, not just with parents, extended family members and teachers; but also with other adults such as friends and acquaintances moms as well!

Great story. Thanks for sharing it.

Glad you liked it, oldskoolotk!

You perfectly captured growing up in that era. I lived in a small town and had “off limits” places that we kids just couldn't help ourselves to explore and play in. And of course snitchy sisters. Lord help you if your parents got wind that somebody else had to whup you, because you'd get another even worse one from them.

You perfectly captured growing up in that era. I lived in a small town and had “off limits” places that we kids just couldn't help ourselves to explore and play in. And of course snitchy sisters. Lord help you if your parents got wind that somebody else had to whup you, because you'd get another even worse one from them.

Really glad you liked it, Johnny! It obviously brought back memories for you! I think you have to have lived during those years to fully appreciate just HOW strict discipline was back then; and just HOW common spankings and whuppings REALLY WERE!! A very different world! It's great to have positive comments and feedback from other members!

I think you have to have lived during those years to fully appreciate just HOW strict discipline was back then; and just HOW common spankings and whuppings REALLY WERE!! A very different world! It's great to have positive comments and feedback from other members!

I lived and grew up in the US even before the date you mention and not to be contrary, but I just don't remember parents acting like you described except for a few exceptions. I lived on the East Coast, in NJ and in what would be called the upper-middle class areas, the new suburbs out in the countryside. There were no physical punishments in any of the schools I went to, both parochial and public and I cannot recollect friends talking about spankings or being called in by parents for a punishment.

Perhaps we were all exceptionally well-behaved kids, but I doubt it. There was all the usual stuff like playing with matches, firecrackers, probably being rowdy. But then again I never witnessed a fight or altercation between kids either.

I simply cannot say that spankings and whuppings were common in my time at all. I did once hear one given to a friend of mine who was the son of a colleague of my father. My mother and father despised him as a mean drunk and mean, ill-tempered man. But besides that, physical punishments just weren't part of my world in the 1950s-60s when growing up. There was the threat of it of course, of parents and nuns or authority figures who would hint at or threaten with, and the inferences from watching movies and TV.

But it actually occurring was for me, even through observation, very rare. For which I am not sorry at all.

Trailer kids were some of my best friends in jr high school & they were street wise,however some of their parents were alcoholics & beat them mercissly for disobedience, this was in the 1950s.

@agracier My parents were upwardly mobile, but came from very humble beginnings in the small-town South. My mom was the disciplinarian, I don't remember my dad really ever laying a hand on me. She favored the wooden spoon, the shoe, the yardstick, or whatever else was convenient. My granny had “switches”, which is a thin, flexible branch out of a tree or shrub. They would sting like hell! My wife's experience was similar, but different. Her dad was the disciplinarian (they had the “just wait until your father gets home” dynamic) and he handed out belt whuppins to her and her siblings.

We moved around a lot, but I remember the grade school principals had a “board of education” (a wooden paddle) you did not want to meet up with. Once about fourth grade, the teacher sent me to the principal's office for clowning around and I got a few swats with one. My wife says they got paddled in school too (well, the boys did). By high school, corporal punishment in school had become controversial, so the paddle disappeared.

Also, as a kid/tween I did not seem acutely aware of social and class differences, and had friends from “the wrong side of the tracks”. Maybe this is why the friendships of the boys in the movie “Stand By Me” resonates with me.

@agracier My parents were upwardly mobile, but came from very humble beginnings in the small-town South.

My father too was from the Deep South, a small farm on the outskirts of Mobile. Al. with all the Great Depression tales of milking cows at 6 am and then to school barefoot. And my mother was from the harbor city of Antwerp, Belgium. My mother's mother worked the open-air markets along with a Jewish partner. Not the highest standing in society either … ha ha.

Both were physically punished so they told, something like: here a wack, there a wack, everywhere a wack-wack. But my mother apparently swore never to do the same to her kids and made it the rule in the house while we were growing up. So it was two parents with the same experiences when young, coming to different conclusions when they became parents themselves. And mother turned out to be the dominant, getting her way (no) punishment-wise.

I grew up in the 50’s and 60’s in the midwest near Chicago in a middle class blue collar neighborhood. My parents did not use corporal punishment for disciplinary purposes, however the threat of a spanking was used often, mostly by my father. Grounding and extra chores along with the silent treatment were their weapons of choice for punishment for me and my siblings. When I was 12 I pushed my younger sister down a small flight of stairs and she hit her head on the sidewalk which scraped her forehead. My parents decided that I was to be grounded for 2 weeks, I begged them to spank me instead, but they refused. I would have preferred a spanking because when it’s over all is forgiven and life goes on.

Spanking was used quite often by the parents of most of my friends and school mates. Spanking was also used in both grammar and high school.

Always interesting to hear other folks experiences and how different they were!

I called on Billy that Monday and his Mom, strangely enough, seemed a lot friendlier! She started calling me by my Christian name and even treated me and Billy to some pizzas and ice cream. The spanking, funnily enough, seemed to have made her more approachable.

A very interesting story. Thank you very much for sharing it. I'm not surprised your friend's mom was friendlier. Corporal punishment creates a bond between the punisher and the punished. Spanking is given by parents to their children. Once she spanked you, she started treating you like her own child.

The spanking was painful, but fair and deserved. From what you've written, it sounds like you didn't feel any anger or resentment toward her at the time. You took it like a severe spanking from a mother who has the right to bare a boy's buttocks and give him a hard spanking.