Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered Part 3

RULES OF THE GAME

Where Vivian's mother lays out exactly what she expects from her son if he wants to keep her onside and help him to achieve his dream.

Vivian went into the bedroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. He was whistling, there was a spring in his step.

"You've been ages... hello, what's this?" His mother indicated the towel. "And please stop whistling. You know I hate anything shrill."

"What's the matter, Mummy? You sound annoyed. Have I done something wrong?" Vivian looked at the simple set of white underwear laid out on the bed, and then glanced at the red gingham pinafore type dress that was hanging on the wardrobe door.

"So... why the towel, Vivian? It looks ridiculous quite honestly. There are to be no secrets between us... not anymore. Take it off... this instant!"

Vivian hesitated for a second or two. He was puzzled by his mother's change in attitude. He saw that she appeared to be hiding something behind her back. He didn't feel so carefree now.

"Hurry up. We have a lot to get through this evening."

She had seemed tender and understanding just a short while ago. Now she was bossing him about, behaving like a schoolteacher.

He let the towel fall to the floor, revealing all.

"Yes, you see, it's just as I thought. Not half an hour ago I allowed you to relieve yourself and yet you now dare to deliver yourself to a lady's bedroom in a malapert state. How am I supposed to dress you in this condition? It is not ladylike. A lady's clothes must hang smoothly, not hindered by some impediment of masculinity. I can't have you showing ugly lumps and bumps. Mummy will have to attend to it."

She brought the thin strip of leather into view and ran it through her fingers.

"A sissy boy needs to learn decorum otherwise others will see him as unrefined. I understand the urges men and boys have, but these urges cannot be allowed to interfere with our main objective. I will nip this in the bud immediately, otherwise it will fester. I'm going to have to temper your behaviour I'm afraid - at least until I can trust you to be in command of your own feelings. Until then, I will supervise and direct your urges so that you are neither wilful nor wasteful.