Date: Sun, 5 Jun 2005 18:50:00 -0700 (PDT)
From: Steam train <steam_t2000@yahoo.com>
Subject: A Modest Servant Chapter 1

Chapter 1 : Never forgive or forget.

To all outward appearances we were a happy loving family. However the
true fact was that we were a family split into two halves. My parents and
then us kids.


I was the middle son of three brothers. My eldest brother Edward R Carter
IV had just turned 16, I, Thomas J Carter was 14 and my younger brother
James E Carter was 13. We were close in ages and growing up we were close
as brothers. My parents on the other hand were very distant figures.

When you are the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of C.I.C., one of
the largest Insurance companies in the nation, you are a busy man with
much on your mind. There was little time to spend with us kids however
dad always ensured he appeared, no matter ever how briefly, at most of
the important events in our lives. He made sure he was seen and it looked
good.

My mother Joanna was even more aloof from us kids, her position as the
wife of one of the most influential businessmen of the time meant certain
responsibilities and commitments. She was the chairperson of the National
Benevolent Fund for Destitute Freemen, sat on numerous committees and was
greatly involved in the arts at a national level. There was little time
for her children and after all she had indentured servants to care for
us. We hardly saw her growing u except at the breakfast and dinner table.

All this meant that we were cared for in our younger years by trusted
family servants and as we grew up and became teenagers it was still the
family servants appointed by my father that cared for our daily needs.
There was little love in our life. The servant nannies that had cared for
us, reared us and looking back showed us boys the only true love we had
ever received when we were young had been sold off by my father as we
each turned ten. A highly trained nanny was a good investment and I
remember my father commenting when Jim's nanny was sold soon after he
turned ten that all three nannies had returned a good profit on the
initial investment.

My father was very wealthy, having succeeded to the Chairman ship of
C.I.C. at the age of 35 when my Grandfather Edward R Carter II died
suddenly. Our house was locally referred to as the "mansion". We lived
in a very affluent gated community but even by the local standards our
house was larger and more opulent than any others in that community. This
gave us kids status and we knew and used that status well.

It gave our servants status of sorts too and I had noticed in the past
how they were proud to be seen around the local shops and on errands
wearing my fathers servant livery

My brothers and I shared a wing of the house that consisted of 3 suites,
one for each of us kids. Within the suite we had our own sitting room,
study, small kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. When I had friends from
school over, I was the envy of even the wealthiest of them, none had the
freedom of their own suite and a personal servant, like my brothers and I
had. Admittedly, we three brothers had to share the servant, but that
would change when we turned 18, then we would get our own personal
servants.

I for one was glad that it was 18 before a servant would be appointed,
because at 14 I was very modest and insisted that Raymond the most recent
servant appointed by my father to care for our personal needs within the
three suites was never in my suite when I dressed or washed.

I know my brothers didn't have the same feelings of modesty and would
walk around their suites in various stages of undress with no sign of
embarrassment. They would do it when I was there visiting them and they
didn't care if Raymond was working in their room either. Like a well
trained servant he always kept his head bowed and eyes lowered and I know
both my brothers thought what did it matter if he saw them, he was after
all only an indentured life servant. Still I preferred to lock the door
to my suite when I was changing or using my bathroom. The other domestic
servants who made our beds and cleaned the suites knew to do their work
when I was at school or out about the house. I rarely saw them, or maybe
it was that I just didn't notice them; they were of little consequence
to me anyways as long as they did their jobs satisfactory.

My brother Ed had taken lately to taunting me in front of Jim about my
excessive modesty, he could see it made me blush a shade of red and I
wondered if both him and Jim knew the truth behind my modesty?

Surely not, but still over the last six months my younger brother Jim had
shot up in height till he was about two inches taller than me. This was
embarrassing as no guy likes to be left behind by his younger brother.

This was highlighted yesterday when there were another two official
looking gentlemen inspecting the house. This had become a regular and
extremely worrying occurrence in the last two weeks after the jury in
dad's trial returned its guilty verdict and dad's trial drew to its
concluding stage. I came across them as I was walking through the east
wing hall of the house. They mistook me for Jim.

As I approached they flipped through a pile of paper attached to a
clipboard, introduced themselves by name and before I could respond  said
"you must be master James". I tried to hide my blushing and taking a
firm but high pitched voice quickly corrected their error. I blushed
again when one said to the other, "doesn't look 14". They shrugged and
continued on their inspection and I still flushed and hoping no servants
had overheard the conversation hurried on my way.

The weather in early autumn was still good, not too hot and not too cold.
There was still warmth in the sun but some how there was a chill in my
soul that just wouldn't go away.

Dad's trial was taking its toll on the whole household. A few days ago
the prosecution and dads defence team had given their final submissions
as to the sentencing penalty to go with the guilty verdict. The servants
were getting noticeably sloppy and Dad, preoccupied with his defence was
not the firm and forceful master he had been throughout all my childhood
memories. Our overseer, Mr Harris and his assistant Lyons along with the
apprentice overseer Charker were trying their best to keep the household
running tightly, but even I could sense that even they were wondering
about their on going employment prospects.

Raymond knocked that morning on my suite door and then entered as he had
always done. I could hear his soft steps as he pulled the curtains in my
sitting room then knocked again on my bedroom door, which was open.

"oooooohhhhhhhhhkkkkk Raymond" I moaned in my usual grumpy morning
attitude

"Morning Master Thomas sir" Raymond brightly replied.

Why he had to be so bright and cheerful in the morning I could never
understand. I was not a morning person. I guess it was part of his
servant training, servants were expected to always be happy in the
company of their masters and other freemen.

Raymond had been our servant for nearly twelve months now. He had been
born a servant, on our property, his mother being in dad's service. I
had never heard mention of who his father was. He grew up as part of our
household and had been trained as he grew up, on dad's specific
instructions to serve me and my brothers needs.

He was, my brother Ed had once told me, a year older than Ed. There was
something about Raymond that reminded me of someone but I could never
quite put my finger on whom. Raymond like us three brothers was blond, a
hair colour that my father must have liked, for I had noticed that nearly
all of the younger servants who worked in dads service were blond.

"That will be all, you may leave" I bluntly replied.

When I heard the suit door close I got out of bed and went and locked the
door, Raymond of course had a key but he would not dare to use it if I
had locked the door and he knew I was in my suite.

I showered and began dressing in my school uniform that Raymond had laid
out the night before. By the time I was fully dressed in the middle
school summer uniform of the Holy Trinity Grammar School which consisted
of an open neck short sleeve khaki shirt with HTGS emblazoned on the
pocket and matching shorts accompanied by black lace up shoes and grey
long socks with the schools colours ringed around the top, which all
middle school boys wore scrunched down so that the socks looked like they
were baggy short socks.

Jim wore the same uniform but Ed was now in the senior school and wore a
short sleeve white shirt with the senior school tie, grey long trousers
and black shoes.

As usual Ed knocked on my door as he emerged to go down for breakfast
then went over and knocked on Jim's door. The three of us would go down
to breakfast with our parents together.

Raymond was standing in position at the end of the hall that lead to our
suites, outside the small anti room he used when on duty in our wing. He
rudely stepped out in front of us, halted us as we walked by and checked
our uniforms, made some minor adjustments to Jim and my uniforms, then
eventually bowed his head, but I thought in a very sloppy almost
impertinent manner and then waited for us to move around him.

Annoyed I said to Ed that I felt Raymond was in need of some
encouragement, he was forgetting his place as a servant. Ed at first
seemed to hesitate but then  agreed, he said that "the fact that there
was some uncertainty hanging over the household was of no concern to a
servant. That was one of their privileges as servants, they didn't have
to worry about anything except serving their masters."

Ed having just past his sixteenth birthday, had been presented with his
masters cane and paddle and was authorised to use them on our servants if
he deemed it necessary. Dad had limited that authority in practise to
just the paddle, as dad felt there could be no chance of Ed causing any
long term harm to ant servant if he just used the paddle.

What a great party Ed's sixteenth had been only those few months back,
took everyone's mind off the trial for a short while. As is traditional
Ed was given his first paddle and cane by dad and Raymond was given the
honour as our personal servant of receiving Ed's first paddling. It had
been beautiful to watch. Ed had practised and built up his technique over
the previous month and Raymond acknowledged the skill Ed had shown at his
coming of age paddling by shedding a few tears. I had already told
Raymond I was looking forward to my coming of age paddling and hoped he
would get to receive the honours from me as well. He had of course
replied "yes master, thank you" but he didn't seem to appreciate the
significance of being the coming of age recipient like we free boys did.

Ed turned to Raymond and he told him his attitude was poor and that this
afternoon at 4pm when we returned from school he should present himself
for 5 paddles to help him refocus on his correct servant attitude.

"Thank you for correcting my ways master" Raymond replied dutifully but
there was still a hint of attitude in his voice.

Breakfast with our parents had never been a pleasant experience but
lately it was sheer torture. You could cut the air with a knife. Dad and
mum were obviously upset and nervous about the trial and it was showing
especially after the guilty verdict.

In fact for the last three days mum had not even been able to bring
herself to look us boys in the eyes, it was as if she was embarrassed by
something else about us or her, not just about dad's current
predicament.

I confess I didn't understand very much of the consequences that could
arise from Dads trial, I just wasn't interested in all that grown up
stuff. Jim was the same but Ed had taken both of us aside as the tensions
at the breakfast table had risen week after week and explained the little
he knew to us, Ed explained that from what he knew, yes, it was possible
now dad was found guilty that the courts could make him pay up big time
for the financial losses that the collapse of the families insurance
business had caused. We could be financially ruined.

Some of the kids at school had started bullying both Ed, Jim and even
more so me, about dads trial and taunted us all that soon we would be
"working class boys or that we were "sons of a criminal"

Both Ed and Jim were much more physical and dominant than me and it
helped them at this time, the guys at school soon realised I was an
easier target and was not as capable of fighting back.

Guys who I though were my friends began to shun me, they were not the
ones actually bullying me but I could feel their embarisment when I was
near them. They really didn't want to be associated with what they now
perceived as a looser, a working class boy. In the past our families
superior status had protected me, I now began to realise things were
changing, I just didn't realise then just how much.

Ed broke the silence at the breakfast table by asking dad if today was
the last day of the trial. Dad replies yes the Judge was handing down his
verdict at 10am. You could tell in dads voice that he was more scared of
today's events than he was trying to convey to us.

Mum then joined in the conversation, she asked " would you boys like to
help your dad out today?"

"No Joanna I don't want them involved in this I've told you" dad
interjected, but mum went on the offensive. "Eddy you know you need all
the help we can get in that court room today, if the kids are there
supporting you it will look good in front of the Judge.

This was new, we had never been involved in the trial at all, in fact we
had been sheltered from most of the fallout as far as possible.

"Look at them Eddy if they appear in court in their HTGS uniforms it
will send the right message to the Judge, you know, like you, he is a
HTGS old boy.

Dad had to agree it made sense but he was very protective of us and was
not sure it would be a good experience for us. We all said we were
desperate to do anything to help and besides I though, a day off school
was a bonus, I didn't add that thought of course.

This change in plans gave us boys some spare time on our hands, as we
were not leaving for the court till 9.00am, so Ed suggested we bring
forward Raymond's paddling. .Ed mentioned this to dad whose mind was on
other more important things. He just shrugged and said "what ever you
think Edward" then added, "your growing up so fast, a real man now
aren't you"

Raymond was not impressed when we informed him that we had spare time and
that Ed would conduct his paddling now. Ed ordered him into his study and
told him to strip. Raymond didn't hesitate as he knew it was not
appropriate to hesitate, he took off the Carter tunic, Carter shorts,
Carter briefs and sandals and laid across a chair in Ed's study.

The site of his near naked body, he of course was still wearing his
indentured servants collar, excited me I have to admit, I had only seen
him naked once before at Ed's coming of age party. On that occasion like
now you could see the red blush marks on Raymond's body. Servants are
not supposed to be embarrassed about being naked but my father ran a very
progressive household for his indentured servants and never forced
servants to work naked. He even supplied proper underwear, which was not
the norm for a lot of servants. I could sympathise with Raymond's
blushing. I sure would have blushed if I were made to stand naked in
front of others, especially if they were all younger than me, as was the
case here.

Raymond had a good smooth taught body and as was tradition with servants
he was shaved from neck to ankle. I wondered how much pubic hair was
shaved off but it was hard to tell as he was beautifully clean shaven.
This really highlighted his penis and balls. He wasn't well hung but who
was I to complain, he was far better hung than myself at that time and I
found looking at him naked made my pants begin to tent, so I quickly went
and sat on the other chair. Jim I noticed had signs of a similar problem
but both chairs were now occupied, so he just crouched forward to give
his dick more room, pretending to be observing Raymond more closely.

Ed gave his usual energetic performance with the paddle and by the 5th
stroke Raymond was crying slightly. We had all been taught of course that
this is just what you want the servant to do, and once he does then you
continue even harder so you force him through the pain to a new level of
compliance. Ed did just this and did not stop till the maximum 10 stokes
he was allowed by law to administer. Raymond was now really crying, his
penis was fully erect much to my excitement, his body was covered in
perspiration and he had snot running down his face from his nose.

Ed told him to go back to his quarters and clean up, but be back in 15
minutes to resume his duties with the right attitude. He went to pick up
his clothes but I asserting my power over him, said "leave then you can
put them on when you're clean, we don't want soiled clothing on our
servant.

He almost said something but checked him self and bowed then left the
room. I'm sure he heard Jim and I congratulating Ed on a job well done
and deserved.

Ed informed Raymond once he returned and dressed that in all likely hood
we would be back early today so he needed to have the suites finished by
1pm at the latest.

At 9am the family assembled at the front entrance, Dad in an imposing
hand tailored dark suit, conservative red and dark blue tie, and white
silk shirt. Mum in a stunning designer dress that like dads suit was made
to fit and highlight her body. She looked stunning and we three boys were
of course in our HTGS uniforms. The Bentley pulled in to pick us up and
the servant chauffer came round and assisted us in to the vehicle, then
we were all off as a family to support dad as the judge handed down his
sentence.

The drive seemed to take for ever. Everyone was very sullen and no one
said hardly anything. I was so nervous as we got to the courthouse, and I
wasn't the one being sentenced. There were TV cameras everywhere from
all the national and local stations and when we entered the courtroom the
cable legal station was setting up to broadcast the sentencing live, such
was the interest in this case. I tried to stay away from the cameras as I
could not see any benefit in having my face broadcast across the nation.

Dads legal team had argued in their sentencing submission that dad should
not have to bear the full financial liability for the collapse. They
argued that he had a wife and children to support plus an extensive
servant holding along with overseers who depended on his livelihood.

The prosecution submitted a firm but by no means draconian submission,
mellowed through influential contacts in the high places my father and
his legal team trod. The Prosecution argued that a firmer line had to be
taken and they had asked the court to confiscate all dad's assets in
part payment to all the suffering policy holders that had been effected.
Dad's senior barrister said it could have been worse and he had ensured
through the contacts that no indentured servitude order was asked for by
the prosecution.

At precisely 10am the court was called to order and the Honourable Judge
George Unwin took the gabble.

The clerk of the court stood and said " Edward Raymond Carter III please
present yourself for sentencing. Dad rose from his seat and turned and
kissed mum then clasped the hands of all three of us kids sitting behind
him. It was a genuine clasp of my hands, even though it was also meant to
focus the Judge on our family. I said to dad "good luck" and squeezed
his hand tight. I had never felt closer to my dad than at that moment.
When he finished with Jim, he turned and with as much dignity as he could
muster, walked to stand before the Judge, he was escorted by two court
sheriffs. As he stood there before the Judge, I though dad with all his
dignity still looked worried and nervous standing there awaiting to
receive his sentance. I was not used to seeing dad in such a powerless
state.

Judge Unwin began his summing up.

" Edward Raymond Carter III you have been tried and convicted by a jury
of your peers. I have listened to the arguments submitted on you behalf
by the defence team and find them inadequate in compensating for the
scale of loss suffered by the numerous policy holders of C.I.C. the
company of which you were the Chief Executive. Responsibility ended with
you and you failed to take that responsibility seriously and with due
financial prudence. The prosecution has placed a strong argument that
greater compensation for all the distraught and financially disadvantaged
policy holders needs to be made by this court and I believe the community
expects this court to impose a substantive sentence on you the person
judged responsible for the collapse of C.I.C."

"I therefore order that all the assets of Edward Raymond Carter III are
to be liquidated by the state and the funds raised used to partially
compensate the effected policy holders. And due to the fact that I
consider the communities concerns about this case to be stronger than the
prosecutions presented sentencing request."

"I further order....'

I heard dad's senior barrister mutter "what the heck" to his colleague

"... that Edward Raymond Carter III is from this time forward stripped
of his rights as a free citizen and indentured into criminal community
servitude for the term of his natural life."

Everything happened at once.

My mother screamed "nooooooooooooooo !"

My brother Ed gasped.

Jim cried out "fuck you"

The packed courtroom gave a simultaneous inhalation of shock.

Dad turned and looked at his barrister with a look of complete fear and
panic in his eyes and face, the barrister just shook his head and held
his index finger up to his lips to indicate silence.

That chill that had been in my soul froze, then spread instantly over my
whole body, my heart ached and felt like it had stopped beating.

The Judge banged his gabble and ordered the court to order.

Dad collapsed onto the floor.

The sheriffs standing at dads side didn't even try to catch him, they
just let him fall to the floor. One court sheriff then walked to the
defence bench and picked up a pitcher of water returned to dads prostrate
body on the court room floor and very unceremoniously began tipping the
water over my dads face and expensive suit whilst rudely commenting
"wakey wakey servant boy".

When dad revived consciousness the other sheriff ordered "get to your
feet now boy"

Judge Unwin again called the unruly court to order, then addressing the
sheriffs ordered."` To emphasise his new status, a servant does not
appear before a court in this jurisdiction clothed. Undress him!"

Dad just stood there totally shocked and as white as a ghost. To dads
utter humiliation and mine but to murmurs from the courtroom, the
sheriffs roughly removed his wet suit coat, tie, shirt, wedding ring,
watch, shoes, socks, undid his belt removed his suit trousers and then
the final humiliation his boxers. Dad tried to cover his genitals but one
sheriff removed a prod from his belt and with a light jab sent an
electric shock through my father forcing him to scream, whilst the other
sheriff told dad servants didn't need to worry about modesty. That was a
freemen's right.

One sheriff grabbed dads penis and lead him to the clerk of the courts
desk where the clerk was busy typing into his computer. After a minute he
produced a microchip, from a drive on his computer and placed it in the
lock of a new servant collar. I knew from lessons at school all about
servant collars and that this chip would contain all of dad's details
including his new community service number. The collar was made of a
metal chain coated in mesh and green and gold plastic with alternating
red and light blue stripes. The design and colour indicated the status,
state and country where the servant is registered. Dad's was
Australia's green and gold with the thin light blue stripes of New South
Wales and the red signified a lifetime criminal indenture.

I noticed how easily it went on, just a soft click

His arms were hand cuffed behind his back and then the ceremonial removal
of dads pubic hair and pit hair was done by the other sheriff using a
battery powered clipper. Dad just stood there looking totally broken,
totally humiliated, totally embarrassed shoulders slumped standing
amongst the small mounds of his dark blond pubic hair that were falling
to the courtroom floor, his penis semi erect, his free life over.

Once completed the sheriffs made my father face the judge who then said,
" As is tradition, I present to the public here represented at this
court a new criminally indentured servant. Sheriffs parade the servant to
the community."

With this order one of the sheriffs again grabbed dads  penis and lead
him around the court so all could see and inspect his naked body. I
looked away in shame and my brothers and mum bowed their heads and we all
cried, mum Ed Jim and me. However before I turned my head I noticed dad
too was crying.

The final act in this scene of utter humiliation was when the Judge
ordered dad taken to the cells for processing and shipment to the
Northern Metropolitan Community Servitude Training Centre to start his
new life. A life the Judge summed up that would consist till his dying
breath of serving the community so that in some small way he could feel
he had made amens for the financial grief so many had suffered.

The last I ever saw of my father was as he was taken down the steps
inside the courtroom to the cells below and he glanced back, our eyes
briefly met and I'm sure he saw in my eyes, my love, I hope and pray he
did and that it gave him some strength to endure his new life. At that
moment I loved my dad more than I had ever loved him before.

I was shattered. Why had I come?

Till this day I have not forgotten every detail of that morning. I have
blamed and hated Judge Unwin for all that befell my family, till the hate
rotted a permanent festering place in the very depths of my soul.

 I can never forgive or forget him.

End Chapter 1.