Margaret pursed her lips. She was embarrassed by her son’s obnoxious behavior. She pulled aside her brother, Ralph. Uncle Ralph had always been closer to Victor than Victor’s own father, who dipped in and out of their lives.
“Ralph, please do something about Victor. He’s spoiling Christmas Eve with his nasty attitude, his vulgar words, and he’s teasing the small children by ripping their presents. He’s not cleaning up after himself and put loud rap music on the stereo and refused to turn it off. Please do something. Ever since he moved out, he’s been so hard to control…”

 Ralph polished his glasses on his shirt. This didn’t surprise him. With an absent father and a push over mother, Victor had been a hellion in his school days. The sound of breaking glass got his attention. Victor was using a laser pointer to get the cat to break ornaments on the tree.

“That’s it,” Ralph said, putting his glasses back on. He marched over to Victor.
“What are you gonna do to me old man?” Victor sneered.
“What your Daddy should have done to you every day.” Ralph grabbed him by the ear and lead him to the basement steps.
“Ow! Ow hey! Stop you fucker! CUT IT OUT Let me go! What are you doing??”
Ralph ignored him. He took his nephew downstairs, bent him over his lap, and spanked him until his hand throbbed. He spanked Victor until the boy was in tears and begging for mercy.

“You listen to me. You be nice to your mother. You behave yourself on Christmas Eve. You learn some respect, and you clean up after yourself you hear me? I hear you’ve been screwing up on paying rent. Can’t hold a job I bet? You fuck up, you are going to move in with me, and I am going to spank you like every. single. day. Until you straighten up. You understand?”
Victor sniffled in his lap, “Yeah yeah I got it.”
Ralph gave another swat. Victor yelped. “No, not yeah. Yes. Yes sir.”
“Yes sir,” Victor said meekly.
“Good boy. Good boy,” Ralph said in a warm tone. Now, pull your pants up. Wash your face, and think about what you’ve done. When you are ready to be part of the family, you can come back upstairs. Am I clear?”
“Yes sir,” Victor said in an even smaller voice.
“Good boy.”

Ralph left Victor to stew in the basement. He went upstairs, and saw his worried sister’s face. “I took care of it, Margie,” Ralph said. She looked relieved. “Do you have ice for my hand?” She was relieved. That meant he had been thorough. Christmas Eve went much, much better after that, although Victor made himself scarce until just before the party ended up, when he came upstairs to apologize to his mom after most people had left.

Ralph was proud, but knew it would take more spankings to straighten the boy out.

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