Paddle Happy Walker

Author: Dennis dennisp@pop.mindspring.com

I remember the first public paddling I ever witnessed. I was 12 years old at the time in Junior High School, and we had a new gym coach, Mr. Walker. He seemed much older at the time, in fact he was just out of Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI and was probably only about 24. But when you're twelve, that's an adult.

Physically, Mr. Walker was "lean & mean", not hugely built, but well built with great definition and red hair in a crewcut. No fat and he was butch.

We were a few weeks into the seventh grade and just getting used to doing calisthentics and to the feel of a jockstrap. One day, when we were "at attention", he walked back to his office & reappeared with a fraternity paddle that he said he had just bought at Michigan State.

"I want you guys to take a look at this", he announced, as he brandished his paddle, raising it high and swinging it through the air over & over all the time he was talking. "This is enough to make a grown man cry, and anyone caught out of line or not taking orders is going to get it bent over grabbing their ankles. If you're late for gym class, you get 5 whacks, if you're caught peeing in the showers, 10 whacks. If you're caught fighting, 20 whacks. And on & on he went."

You would think no one would have done anything out of line, but then you didn't know Gordon, also a red head, sort of the class clown, not a scholar by any means, and somewhat of a nuisance. He was always talking when someone else was talking, especially the teacher, and he was loud. Even his whisper was could be heard across the room.

Poor Gordon, one day after Mr. Walker called us to attention, everyone fell in line in their gym shorts, jock straps & tee shirts. Everyone except Gordon who was laughing and carrying on about who knows what.

"GORDON..." Mr. Walker yelled so loud it bounced off the gym walls.

Mr. Walker's face turned red he was so mad. "COME UP HERE". "Yes, coach" said Gordon cheerfully, as if he didn't know what was going to happen (and he probably didn't). Gordon walked up in front of the class with a bounce.

"Jack, go get the paddle" said Mr. Walker to Jack, one of our classmates who was his assistant. Jack leaped into the office and returned with the paddle. Everyone started laughing, whooping & hollering. Marvin, who had a reputation for being bright and athletic, said sarcastically, "make him pull down his pants." Not smart, Marvin. "And you're next Marvin" said Mr. Walker.

"Now, assume the position. Turn around and grab your ankles. Keep your legs straight. I'm going to give you two whacks, and if you stand up, I'm going to start over."

"NO, COACH..." Gordon bellowed, he was so loud.

"Turn around and grab your ankles." Gordon complied. Mr. Walker slowly

walked to the left side of Gordon & raised the paddle high in the air and paused for a long moment. His arm was big, well muscled, with great definition. Mr. Walker did a hundred push-ups every morning & could do fifty chin-ups.

Mr. Walker swung the paddle fast and it landed on Gordon's butt with a whack that resounded against the walls. Gordon roared & stood bolt upright placing both hands on his butt. "Oh, coach," Gordon pleaded & then he started sobbing.

"Okay, you can get back in line," Mr. Walker said. He never did give

Gordon his second whack or carry through on his promise to "start over"

if Gordon stood up. The class wasn't laughing anymore.

"Marvn, you're next, come up here." Mr. Walker said. Marvin wasn't the type you would ever imagine being punished for anything, he had straight A's, his mother worked as the principal's secretary, and he was the best quarterback in the school and a gifted basketball player as well. But Mr. Walker didn't play favorites.

Marvin was the epitome of sincerity, no more laughter, "I was just kidding, coach" "You just earned two more", Mr. Walker said, "come up here". "Can I take them in private, sir", Marvin said. "You just earned yourself another two. Come up here." Mr. Walker responded.

"I'm going to report this to the principal." Marvin said. He was starting to get mad and it showed. "Marvin, that's two more. Come up here." Mr. Walker said.

"Do you want me to pull down my pants." Marvin said sarcastically, and he was mad at that point. "Pull down your pants, Marvin." Mr. Walker said.

Marvin grabbed his gym shorts and jock strap on both sides and yanked them down with one movement, put his hands up in the air & lowered them to his ankles as if to say, "go ahead, fucker, I'll get you for this."

Mr. Walker had an unmistakeable smile on his face! He was grinning!

Marvin was bent over grabbing his ankles with his butt facing the class. You could see his well-developed quads and muscular butt, fully exposed.

Mr. Walker followed the same routine as before, he rose the paddle high in the air with his right hand & paused for a long moment. Then he brought the paddle down with a resounding SWAT! Marvin groaned loudly.

Then Mr. Walker raise the paddle again & WHACK! Marvin yelled, "OUCH,

OUCH" twice in row. It must have had a lasting sting. Mr. Walker placed the paddle on Marvin's bare butt & held it there for a moment, as if to get his aim. Then he raised the paddle with his powerful arm, paused briefly, then WHACK! The third stroke brought tears to Marvin's eyes, "Oh, coach, he said, and you could tell from the quaivering tone of his voice that he was in tears or close to it.

"MARVIN, ARE YOU GOING TO BE A SMARTMOUTH ANYMORE?" Mr. Walker yelled, giving Marvin a chance to get out of the rest of his punishment.

"NO SIR!" Marvin yelled back. "Two more" Mr. Walker responded. Marvin's butt was as red as a beet at this point, and Marvin responded, "NO,coach, I can't take anymore"

"These will be your last two." Mr. Walker responded. He raised the paddle high in the air and paused as before.

Marvin was breathing heavily at this point, his chest was heaving with each breath. WHACK! "OooooH, I can't take anymore, coach." WHACK! Marvin's butt was glowing red all over.

"Okay, stand up." Mr. Walker said. "Now get back in line." Marvin turned around and walked back to his place in line; his face was wet. He was more embarrassed about the class seeing him in tears than anything else.

You would have thought the class would have shaped up. Instead, they became resigned to taking whacks for relatively minor offenses, talking while at attention, snapping each other with towels, being late for class. Marvin nicknamed Mr. Walker "Paddle Happy Walker" and became a little more like the rest of the class. I don't know if Marvin ever told the principal, if he did, it sure didn't affect Mr. Walker's use of the paddle. Mr. Walker seemed as happy as could be and used his paddle frequently, sometimes several times during each gym class. And he was always smiling when he was using his paddle.

And to think, he had 8 gym classes per day!