“I did! This was not what I expected! Why didn't you stop me, Gerald, when I proposed to walk over the tracks?"
Yeah, Gerald! This is all your fault. What were you thinking?
“I did! This was not what I expected! Why didn't you stop me, Gerald, when I proposed to walk over the tracks?"
Nag, Nag, Nag. Like you listen to a word I say. Don't you ever take any responsibility for your own actions? I didn't walk across the tracks, but I'm still stuck here dressed in this sack, Jenny!Yeah, Gerald! This is all your fault. What were you thinking?
Nag, Nag, Nag. Like you listen to a word I say. Don't you ever take any responsibility for your own actions? I didn't walk across the tracks, but I'm still stuck here dressed in this sack, Jenny!
Gerald, enjoy the silence on couch.Now, you’ve gone and hurt my feelings, Gerald. Just for that you’ll sleep on the living room couch for a month.
I won't have to listen to your snoring, Moore? Sounds good to me...Now, you’ve gone and hurt my feelings, Gerald. Just for that you’ll sleep on the living room couch for a month.
You're managing to make Amtrak sound OK. I once got on an Amtrak train at a station in Canada (the Toronto-Chicago train they used to run in cooperation with VIA rail, the Canadian rail company) at was what was called a "whistle stop", which means you stand out and wave at the train as it approaches. Amazingly enough, it did stop.I'm afraid this story is too far-fetched to hold my attention.
They cross the tracks at a village station and are seen??? Village stations are never staffed and the CCTV never works.
They arrive early and staff are present??? Not just one but many??? No station has surplus staff.
They are processed to a timetable that has room for problems and so leave on time???? Accountants live in a world where lack of activity costs money, so slack is not allowed, lateness is part of life.
I've just realised Loxuru. You've written this story from the experiences of someone who lives in a country where the railways provide a good service to the people, rather than one where the whole concept is to make a profit for the owners. In other words, a railway system common through most of Europe, except the UK.
Now I know that as long as UK readers treat it as a idealised fantasy land which we will never experience, I can enjoy it.
Thank you Loxuru.
I can hardly wait to find out what she saw.
I'm afraid this story is too far-fetched to hold my attention.
Very thoughtful, the built the train so it just misses the market stalls.I've no experience so kept quiet.
Somehow, I think Chief Station Master-General Stoker would have a hard time on Thai Railways: View attachment 686434
It has to be a ugly town. The schedule is only for departure, not for arrivalInteresting a german train shedule.
“Gerald! Did you see where we are?”
View attachment 686213
“I did! This was not what I expected! Why didn't you stop me, Gerald, when I proposed to walk over the tracks?"
While writing the story, I gave my imagination some liberty, and never had a clear shape in my mind. Yet, the closest I imagine is a combination of #2 and #4. The lower horizontal bar serves as an uneasy footrest. The rack has handgrips, and also a small sedile. All very useful for rest, but not for long.I can't recognize the shape of the rack.
Before I die, I would love to ride on that train through the market!I've no experience so kept quiet.
Somehow, I think Chief Station Master-General Stoker would have a hard time on Thai Railways: View attachment 686434
8.
Their punishment really had started.
Jenny and Gerald had accepted a sanction of ‘exemplary’ public exposure, rather than paying a high fine, imposed by the railway company. Ever since social trends had turned in favour of the restoration of public corporal punishment, this kind of sanctions had gained importance. Private or state corporations could be licensed to impose them, under strict conditions. So was the railway company. And although there was no indication that the deterring effect of the humiliating, often painful and anyway exhausting punishment worked, the method was applied widely.
When Jenny and Gerald got caught, a protocol had been made up by the railroad security. Ten days later, they had been summoned to the city station, where they were received by Mrs. Whistle, who acted ex officio as attorney in their case. She had proposed Jenny and Gerald either accepting a fine, or an exemplary punishment, in public, which would only cost them some compensations.
The amount of the fine, on the other hand, would have been a ‘virtual’ damages compensation for a fictional accident. This amount would surpass Jenny and Gerald’s budget, since they were still paying off their home building project. The compensation, when they accepted the public sanction was only five percent of that amount.
The proposed, public punishment sounded scary, humiliating and exhaustive. But Mrs. Whistle had made them clear that thousands of people had already been subjected to it, while most of them had chosen for it when the option had been given. Anyone faced the risk when tempted to commit an offense. Many of them never had considered the possibility of getting into such a situation. But then, one wrong move, and… caught! The punishment was harsh and humiliating at the moment itself, but it had become so generally accepted by society, that those who had undergone it, mostly had no problems of being socially cast out. Captain Whistle had ensured them that society had evolved so far, that accepting the sanction was rather praised as responsible behavior. In some cases it had even reported that those who had chosen for paying a fine, had problems afterwards from having been marked as cowards. Furthermore, there was an association, The Pillory Association, joining people that had been subjected to it. The association provided support and help for those who experienced social or psychological difficulties in the aftermath of their sanction.
Well, society had evolved so far at the level of collective brainwash that it accepted such sanctions as a virtue…
But now, Jenny was not so sure about it, because after all she and Gerald were the first ever to be sanctioned at their local train station.
Jenny experienced soon how exhausting the punishment was. The straps were attached in such a way that they did not cause lasting injuries, such as blocking sinews or arteries, unless the stress they exerted would be continuous, but then, it would soon turn out painful for her, as she had experienced during the rising of her frame. She could find rest, sitting on a roundwood over one of the bars of the frame, but that was no lasting solution either, because it was hard and rather short and it soon exerted unpleasant pressure on her bottom. So, pulling up, taking the hand grip and standing on the feet was another solution. The cuffs provided just enough liberty to do so, but that position was soon fatiguing for the muscles, and soon she would descend again on the roundwood, or she let herself hanging, which required once more an effort to pull up again. There was no moment that she was not busy handling, or at least being occupied with the pull or pressure of her body weight on her restraints and supports. She had to cope with the bruises and the grazes from her unlucky drop during the lifting of the frame. Sweating, cramps, local pains, moments of fatigue, were all her part. Breathing was difficult when she was hanging, and it was heavy after she had pulled herself up. On her left, she could see Gerald going through the same torment, as he was continuously writhing, struggling all the time. The cyclic motion of sitting, hanging, pulling up. He regularly took resting positions, but these did never last long. During his largest efforts she noticed his heavy breathing, his face occasionally turning red. Neither she nor Gerald had done a lot about their physical condition during the last years, except some walking and cycling. This made the effort extra difficult for them.
There was also humiliation. During moments of relative rest, when she was holding a steady position, Jenny always noticed they were not alone. The perimeter around the racks, guarded by Sergeant Wheeltapper’s team, had been narrowed to five meters, allowing onlookers to come close by. Jenny knew she and Gerald were stark naked, hanging at the racks with their legs open, so that they could hide nothing of their private parts. Their bodies were totally exposed to looks and comments. The posters announcing their punishment had drawn more visitors to the site. Although they generally behaved when it concerned verbal jeering and taunting, Jenny noticed the malicious pleasure on their faces, and the mocking comments they made to each other, while they watched herself and Gerald exposed naked, and struggling all the time. By moments, her mood was indifferent to it, but other moments, particularly after she had done yet another physical effort, and noticed the taunting looks, she wanted to cry : “go away! Leave me alone!” But she could not shout, because of the ball gag, giving their faces a particular ridicule. The gag prevented her from talking, from shouting. It particularly prevented her from communicating with Gerald, from seeking support from him, support he neither could give to her. The gag prevented her from informing how he was doing, and telling him how she was. Because of the gag, she had to undergo the efforts and the humiliation totally on her own, making it extra mentally difficult for her.
The sanction consisted of six hours of hanging to the rack. After three hours, the racks would be lowered for one hour of rest. During this hour, Jenny and Gerald would remain tied to their racks, but they would be given water and dry biscuits and be rubbed again with sun block. They would be given some medical assistance if needed, and they would be allowed to talk to the someone of Sergeant Wheeltapper’s team about their condition, so that appropriate care could be provided. But they would not be allowed to talk to each other. It was said that the most terrible moment of the sanction was, when the racks were lifted again, for the second half of the punishment, since the condemned now knew what ordeal awaited them, and considering that the first three hours had already exhausted them.
It was not so far yet. Jenny tried to discern faces among the onlookers. She had as yet not recognized anyone familiar. But they all had seen her. Would she still be able to come out after this? Walk on the streets, shopping, going to the post office, the city hall, the hairdresser, without being recognized? All this people who would imagine her again as she was now, being sanctioned, writhing naked on a frame for public humiliation? Could she still take the train, without remembering it, without being recognized?
What time was it? She could not see the station clock. She could not ask anyone. How long hanging here before the break? She was standing on her feet. The sharp edge of the wood tormented her foot soles. She pulled herself upward by the handgrip to release the torment of her feet. Her arms trembled. She moved her feet up and down a little, and then she slid. The restraints painfully caught her ankles. Her lower back gave a kick against the edge of the roundwood. Yet another hit on that already bruised spot! Desperately, she pulled herself up over the roundwood, to sit on it. Relative ease, but not for long, because the weight of her body would come down uneasily on her crotch. And there was another reason why sitting on the roundwood had become uncomfortable.
Neighbours! People from the street! Not these guys! She looked at Gerald! Had he seen them? Gerald, she had noticed, who had been struggling and writhing more than before. He looked in pain. Jenny hoped nothing was…
Gerald hung himself forward, and relieved his bladder. He released an endless stream. The pressure must have been high. It all came down on the ground with a rustling sound. It resulted into laughter and taunting comments among the onlookers.
“Gerald! Not now!” she wanted to shout.
Jenny got exhausted. She had become tired, cramps, she was hungry and thirsty. She felt ashamed. What if mom heard about it? Would she come to look? She wanted to rest on the roundwood, but doing so gave her uncomfortable pressure. She too had her bladder filled beyond comfort. She knew she would not be able to hold on like that until the break. Soon, she would also have to hang forward and relieve it. In front of all the onlookers…
(to be continued)
You betcha!Another interesting storyline to explore!
THE END
Of a little tale about marital morals.
9.
“That”s 65 euro, Jenny!”
Sixty-five euro! Gerald will be asking questions again about her hairdresser’s bill. But who cares, after all, she worked for the money too!
“Can I go to the bathroom quickly?”
“Sure, Jenny, you know the way!”
Jenny quickly entered the bathroom. That had become urgent. After more than two hours sitting in front of a dressing table, it had become more than time to relieve her bladder.
In the bathroom, Jenny looked in the mirror. She was satisfied about her balayage. It made her look younger, more attractive, more seducing! It had about been time to refresh her image and get rid of the classic bob she had been wearing for over ten years. Time to bring some color in her life again. She hoped Gerald would notice it (and not just growl about the bill). She hoped Gerald would at last notice too that, since a few weeks, she had reverted her skirt length from below the knee to above the knee, and that she was wearing a mini-skirt from time to time. Because Gerald was apparently on retirement, at least in bed. Time to bring him back alive, or did he want her to look for fireworks with an eighteen year old testosterone bomb, like in the article in this week’s issue of Ellegance?
A few weeks earlier, Jenny had read in Ellegance another article, on sex in marriage. In an average marriage. Like hers! Suppose, the article said, that a married couple would put a marble into a jar, anytime they would have sex during their first year, and after the first year take one marble out of the jar on every occasion, then the jar would never be empty again.
Jenny had realized this could be true. She had become aware that such was exactly the way it had gone with her own marriage with Gerald. The first year, sex had been fun. The next year, it had become part of a scheduled program to have a baby. After all, she and Gerald had married quite lately. She was 33, he was 32. Her biological clock was ticking. After the birth of little Elisa, after two years of shooting practice at preset days, they were often too tired, from fulfilling the needs of their cute but demanding little life changer. So, time for marital sex had become part of a week planning. An attempt had been undertaken to have a second baby, but after a while, no result was made. At 36 she had given up her hopes. Since, Gerald had gradually neglected his marital duties.
Maybe, in her own marriage, the jar would never get empty again, either, but nevertheless, she had become determined to take out as much as possible marbles for the forthcoming times.
So, Gerald would beware getting annoyed about the at least 2000 euros she had spent the last weeks. He was supposed to see the results of her investment, and like them, and not bicker about it. After all, she had done it for his own wellness either.
Loaded with her purchases, and proud about her balayage, Jenny took the train home. On the train, she encountered Christine. Christine, who, of course, had already noticed Jenny’s restyling, and who adored her new haircut. Gerald would better take an example from Christine!
After less than ten minutes, the train stopped in their village station Jenny and Christine left the carriage and stepped on the platform. The train departed again. Christine then proposed to simply cross the tracks, since she hated to make the detour over the platforms to the parking lot.
Jenny followed her. She looked forward whether there was railroad staff around, since crossing the tracks was punishable with a fine. She then recalled her little fantasy about track trespassers, who, being caught would get a public humiliation. She and Gerald! During the long waiting in front of the dressing table at the hairdresser’s, Jenny had played herself in detail, in her head, that exciting story. She had no idea where these fantasies came from, or what they meant. She simply enjoyed them for killing time.
Now, this time she would get caught together with Christine, and hence punished in public with Christine. Another interesting storyline to explore! Gerald would then be an onlooker! Maybe, when Gerald would see her attached naked and spread-eagled to a rack, he would learn what a sexy and attractive wife he actually had.
So, the story would start with two railroad security employees, emerging from an ambush:
“Excuse me, Ladies?...!”
THE END
Of a little tale about marital morals.