Devious Devices

Lets consider the similarities of such inquisitional devices a moment. The rack, a device to exceptionally stretch a human frame into an unnatural position and inflict excruciating pain. Or in my case, on several occasions, standing in the corner (not so bad you think) but with your arms raised above your head for ‘long periods’ and then being made to hold them down at your side? Both involved unnatural positions and pain, particularly when you lowered your arms and the blood flow suddenly increased. The Iron maiden, a sarcophagus type device, with spiked interior, to not only enclose the victim but to prevent movement and exhaust the victim, so if not directly impaled when the sarcophagus closed, should they move inside they would scrape against the spikes. Or in our case, the small cupboard/wardrobe, where the child could be made to stand for long periods facing the rear (look out if you sat down and were caught), where the child could also suffer heat effects. Fortunately we lived in a cold climate (not that we would volunteer to go into a cupboard to simply warm up, except when we played hide and seek).

Smacking with bars and other devices, well, everyone must have had that form of punishment during their lifetime… oh, sorry. Anyone born before the current ‘nanny state’ (1998) where you can’t even smack a child once (according to media) although I do believe it is only not allowed, if it uses ‘unnecessary force’. But don’t worry, there are always the ‘church widows’ of our general society watching and waiting to report a parent seen bringing a misbehaving child into line with a tap or slap. It will probably be the same ‘church widows’ who will be robbed, mugged, assaulted or worse, in the near future by a child who was allowed to do exactly as they pleased because no one was there to punish them. Who will the ‘widows’ be phoning then? The same people they complained about the parent to earlier, and, no doubt, they will also be saying, “where are the child’s parents?” and “why did they let the child behave like that?” Hypocrisy I know, but, we are controlled by laws, set up because one or two do the wrong thing and the rest of us have to pay the price.

But we were discussing the early inquisition devices and the similarities between my parents’ methods and those of the churches. Fortunately there was a limit to the space we had in the house with so many children and so few rooms and the garage as mentioned did not have a lot of space (as also mentioned) even though it never held a car. Storage and operational space may have prevented the construction of any such device. But I wonder if the thought ever occurred to my parents. Did they face administering some form of punishment dreaming of a device that could work across all the children? It would have to be adjustable of course, for the differing ages and sizes, but, ….. it’s just a thought.

(continued tomorrow)