Date: Sat, 27 Feb 2010 14:37:43 -0400
From: Chris Johns <chris-johns@hotmail.com>
Subject: The Flogging Pt.7

Usual Rules

			       The Flogging
			A period of consolidation.
				  Part 7

A simple suicide verdict was recorded on Mark Dampier and the school very
quickly returned to normal.

Acteon however felt devastated by what had happened and had to unload his
emotions on David. After supper one evening the week after the funeral
Acteon told David everything that had happened revolving around the
homosexual issue.

"I know that Barker is gay and has a lover, David. He knows that Alan is my
lover. I think at least two more of the prefects are gay. Please, what can
we do to protect all these boys, we can't lose another like Mark, he loved
me so much for so long, it just destroyed him when we did eventually make
love."

David was amazed at the maturity and compassion shown by this seventeen
year old boy that he loved so much.

"I will talk to Barker and his lover, that won't be a problem. I want you
to talk to the others you think are homosexual and see if you can get any
further confirmation."

Acteon daren't ask what David was going to say. He intended to watch and
wait.

David sent for Baz the next day.

"Come in Barker, sit down."

Baz was immediately on guard. No pupil was ever asked to sit in the head's
study. What was even more surprising was David coming round his desk and
sitting in the other chair.

"You aren't in trouble boy. Quite the reverse. The head boy has told me the
whole story concerning Dampier's unfortunate obsession with him. Acteon and
young Alan Balfour are to be protected at all costs. That applies to you
and your lover as well. Do you understand?"

Baz was completely shattered. Firstly because of Acteon's total frankness
discussing the situation with the head, but equally so because David wanted
to protect them not castigate them.

"I don't understand Sir."

"Come along Barker, I know you are a straight A student. I know you are a
homosexual and have a lover in the school. I am also aware that St. John
Cox and Balfour are lovers. I want to protect you so I need to know the
name of your lover. Acteon thinks he knows some more boys that prefer their
own sex so when we know for sure, they will also be invited to tell me if
they have lovers and I can take steps to protect all of you. Now, who is
the young man that has your affection?"

Baz was torn, the strain of maintaining the secrecy of his liaison was
wearing, but could he trust this man. Why would he want to protect
homosexuals? Baz had a logical mind, thinking about the situation with
Acteon and now the head's attitude he could only come to one conclusion. Oh
fuck, Acteon's real lover was the head master. Baz's jaw dropped open at
this realisation and then it just spilled out.

"Oh my God, you're Acteon's true love."

It wasn't a question, it was said with total surety.

"Yes Barker, I love that young man with all my heart."

Baz burst into tears then and fell at David's feet.

"I love Ben so much, Sir, it is so terrifying thinking about being caught
whenever we kiss or cuddle."

David stroked the hair of this very distraught young man. It was so crazy
that these boys lived in a state of terror because they were
different. When would there be any sanity in the world?

(Of course we know now that the U.K. didn't legalise homosexuality until
1967, seventy years after the start of this story.  Many countries and
religious groups still, in 2009 persecute gays. David was right to wonder,
more than 100 years after Oscar Wilde we are still intolerant of sexual
minorities.)

When Barker had calmed down a little, David sent him off to wash his face
and finish calming down but told him to be here again tomorrow with his
young man. Quickly going through student files David was sure he knew which
Ben, Barker was talking about.

Acteon, meanwhile was sleuthing. He checked which prefects were most likely
to volunteer for prefects punishment duties, and which ones usually had
extras to add in private at the end. He sent for the students involved and
by force of personality found what prefects did what. The ones Acteon
suspected were homosexual invariably used the extra punishment at the end
to sodomise the pupil they fancied. Of course no student, gay or straight
would blow the whistle on someone that had sodomised them. When he was sure
he sent for the prefects individually.

"Please don't waste time and energy denying what I am going to accuse you
of because I have incontrovertible proof. You are a homosexual, and all I
want to know is if you have a lover or know of any others boys with similar
taste. Please believe me when I tell you that my interest is so that you
can be protected not prosecuted."

George Chapman was the first to hear that little speech and just laughed.

"Don't be bloody stupid Acteon. I'm not and even if I was I certainly
wouldn't tell you."

"George, Mark Dampier committed suicide after he and I had made
love. Apparently he had loved me since we were eleven. I don't want to lose
another friend. If I can find all of you that are hiding your sexuality, we
think we can protect you."

"And who are `we' Acteon?"

"The headmaster and myself, and that is the most confidential information
you will ever hear."

"I don't believe you Acteon, what game are you playing?"

"I swear George, this isn't a game."

This was ridiculous, if he admitted the truth to Acteon he would be risking
everything, but Acteon was right. Getting caught could be worse and if the
principal was a sympathiser that would be incredible.

It was heavy going but by the time he left Acteon's study he was convinced
and had admitted his sexuality.

"On Saturday, after all sports are completed David is having a get together
of some senior pupils, and friends. It is a cover. Everyone there will be a
homosexual. Please bring your lover if you have one and anyone else you
know who is like us."

By Saturday afternoon Acteon was feeling drained. He had talked himself
hoarse convincing boys to tell him the truth.

When David entered the main lounge of his house at 4 that Saturday he was
stunned. It was packed. He noticed that most of the seniors had juniors
close to them. Was this the trait then like Acteon and Alan?

"You surprise me, I had no idea so many of you admired the same sex."

It was said in a light-hearted way and garnered a few laughs and lots of
nervous smiles.

"I have only one agenda in calling this get together. I want to protect you
from society. You see I don't consider what you do to be abnormal, I
believe it is the way you are made."

There were gasps at that and then applause

"What we are going to do is form a new society within the school. You will
all become founder members. No one else will be able to join without the
recommendation of two of you. I am having the disused pavilion at the
bottom of the playing fields refurbished and some partitions put up
dividing it into bedroom size rooms. We are going to use a few of those
rooms to stow spare furniture from the houses, especially beds."

The last was said with a smile on his face which wasn't lost on the
company.

David continued for a few more minutes making it clear that the pavilion
would have a common room and at least two bathrooms, all be it with only
cold water.

"I am going to leave Barker and Chapman to think up a name for the society
and some spoof aims to cover the reality. You may use it as you wish but
whenever you leave there must be no evidence of what you have actually used
it for. Barker and Chapman will have keys which any of you may ask for, but
under no circumstances must it be left unlocked when none of you are
there."

All of the details were discussed and the boys left delighted with the
events of the afternoon. Several of the younger boys were crying with
relief, they had been under such extreme pressure knowing that to be caught
was a sentence almost worse than death. Barker's, Ben, was the worst. In
the end David sanctioned him and Barker remaining for the night.

One term into the new society and every member had shown better results in
his school work, David was delighted.

Acteon would occasionally accompany Baz to inspect the pavilion and soon
realised that the boys were turning it into a very comfortable and relaxing
place. They had obtained some old desks and chairs so that the older boys
had facilities to help the younger boys with homework. Hence the
improvement in grades. Of course, being able to relax more with their
sexuality was helping as well.

What began to worry David was that there appeared to be two groups. The
older ones were almost all upper sixth with only one more term before
leaving for university. The younger ones were mostly third year, that is,
thirteen and fourteen year olds. Next term what was going to happen, there
were few leaders left?

"Acteon, we need to find some boys in the lower sixth and even the fifth
years who are like us, otherwise the society will struggle next year."

Acteon had not thought about that. Alan would be safe because he would have
David as his lover, but none of the other younger boys had protectors.

Barker solved the problem, all be it with some risk. A debate was
advertised. `Oscar Wilde, was his prosecution just?'

The result was a list of names for Acteon to delve into. These were the
boys who had been most sympathetic to the principal of being left alone if
what you did was in private and affected no one else.  Acteon was delighted
in private sessions with these boys to uncover another seven in the lower
sixth and fifth forms. The future of the society was now almost guaranteed
for the foreseeable future.

Term's end, graduation for Acteon's year. The new head boy appointed by
David was a member of the society, as were several of the new prefects.
Alan's parents agreed to him becoming a day boy under the care of David,
and Acteon went off to Oxford to read law and politics. He would devote his
life to improving the lot of minorities, particularly homosexuals.

Of course he also continued to have two lovers for many years. David
Cockburn and Alan Balfour.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I have tried to keep the terminology in the nineteenth century, but know
that I failed when I used the word GAY to describe homosexuals, that word
didn't come into common use until late in the twentieth century.

However, I hope you enjoyed this tale and will let me know.

Chris Johns, at home in Antigua.