Jack's House

Thank you for your observations, PJ.

I have in the past been known to wonder aloud why a particular story gained votes quickly. An author's opinions of his stories often do not match those of the readers. I do not rank my stories though I am perfectly well aware that some are slighter than others. The reason I brought this story up is though because it seems to me to be an extreme case, compared to Blackmail, where I can understand the response. I say to myself that surely I have written other stories which are on a par with A Proper Caning.

I think that perhaps the problem is that a part of me is both surprised by what I produce and what people make of it.

I echo David's praise of this first of a promised short series. It's going to be a corker!

PJ

I had not read the story (not my icons), but curious, I took a look. The story might not work today - might not work - but the “incident” takes place in the 1960s. I don’t know when society started worrying about boys’ virtue, but back then, the idea of a teenage boy being bedded by an older woman was a novel and movie trope, not ra-pe. Even today, SNL can do sketches about lusty female teachers on trial for seducing one of their high school students and they get played for laughs, with the judge high-fiving the boy on the witness stand.

Fun fact: I don’t know the exact year in which the story is set, but in 1969, the $20 paid by each of the women had $176.63 in buying power. In 1965, it was $205.79.

Somebody sent me feedback on this story: https://malespank.net/viewStory.php?id=23741&av=0b354b57958b4de. They asked me a question I could only answer by going into the story. I found that the story has two filled six-pointed stars. Only one other story has been so well voted. The puzzle is why this story is singled out for the supreme readers' accolade above all the others except one.

The topic of why does a particular MMSA story seem to do so much better statistically than another is a rather very old and among the most discussed and venerated mysteries in the large annals of the MMSA forum. I'll state at the outset that unlike Mr. Pulthorpe's "something is missing" moment that eventually results in a rousing success with Welbeck, that like many such stories discussed over the years, A Proper Caning's success will not be solved today by me. But ... one can conjecture. And my conjecture is this section from the story that really surprised me. Even you Plagosus have seldom written with such bright, fun clarity. It made me smile, grin and think to myself that it charmed readers so much so that over its years received votes beyond the norm. Am I right? Nobody will ever know, but I fancy that there could be a truth here. The section:

The first stroke was bright. It lit up Welbeck’s bottom. Welbeck’s bottom had never been so well illuminated.
The second was brisk. It was decidedly businesslike and its business was sting of premium quality.
The third was breezy. Not a gentle refreshing zephyr, but a strong gust.
The fourth was bracing. It was more than invigorating.
The fifth was breathtaking. It took Welbeck’s breath away.
The sixth was Brightonian. Brightonian? Yes. On the right day a walk along Brighton seafront can be bright, brisk, breezy, bracing and breathtaking. The sixth was all those.

So there it is, take it or leave it. That the Blackmail story is your best and most voted to me is no surprise. Devising clever crime-mysteries in a caning story is no small feat and you've done it a couple of times I think.

PJ

https://malespank.net/viewStory.php?id=60640

Set in rural Tennessee, the story is about Baptist preacher's son Bart Montgomery,  who is a twelve-year-old in seventh grade.  Thinking he is helping a friend, Bart gets caught violating a serious school rule.  (Don't our boys always end up getting caught?) Bart lands in the principal's office where we meet Mr. Irby.

If I write more then it will spoil the fun you will have reading this one.