One Along The Road: A Teenage Hitchhiker Finds A Spanking Dad

ONE ALONG THE ROAD

A Teenage Hitchhiker Finds A Spanking Dad

By: H. Matt Synnot

Copyright 2017 H. Matt Synnot

Smashwords Edition

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - First Contact

Chapter 2 - Second Chance Encounter

Chapter 3 - Nate and I Meet Again

Chapter 4 - Interlude

Chapter 5 - The Reckoning

Chapter 6 - Reaching An Understanding

Chapter 7 - Meeting Nate's Mom

Chapter 8 - Back To Business

Chapter 9 - Observing A Problem

Chapter 10 - An Understanding

Chapter 11 - Getting Nate's Outfits

Chapter 12 - Talk With Paula

Chapter 13 - Setting The Stage For Nate

Chapter 14 - Nate Begins To Work

Chapter 15 - Dinner Together

Chapter 16 - Day At The Amusement Park

Chapter 17 - More Outfits For Nate

Chapter 18 - Chicago

Chapter 19 - Back Home

Chapter 20 - Confrontation With Frazen

Chapter 21 - Searching For Nate

Chapter 22 - The Big Spanking

Chapter 23 - Paula For My Future

Chapter 24 - On Nate's Side

Chapter 25 - Six Months Later

Chapter26 - One Year Later

Chapter 1

First Contact

My name is Joe and I am a private investigator. I was driving back from a business trip one day in the middle of October. It was one of those assignments where I knew my report was not going to contain the information my client was hoping to get and I was thankful that I had made sure I had received a healthy retainer before permitting the client to engage me. I was about ten miles from home and was looking forward to relaxing on a lounge chair with a good drink and putting on some soothing music and unwind. Though was around 1pm my weariness made it feel like night. I looked towards the shoulder of the road and saw a boy hitchhiking. It seemed to be an odd time for a boy to be out since it was a school day. He was about 5'4" tall with curly black hair that covered his head like a mop and was well over his shirt collar and was in bangs over his forehead and he had a boyish face so it made it difficult to pinpoint his age.

I don’t normally pick up hitchers, but he seemed young enough that I wanted to make sure he kept out of trouble so I pulled my Mercedes over a little past him. As he trotted to the car I saw that and he was wearing jeans, a flannel shirt with the shirttails hanging out and some well-worn athletic shoes and had a black backpack on him. I leaned over and opened the door and when I did he took the backpack off and casually tossed it onto the back seat and sat in the front seat and closed the door.

He looked at me and gave me a smile with his bright white teeth. He had dark intelligent eyes, dark eyebrows, a well-proportioned nose and a face that I knew someday soon would easily attract girls if it hadn't already.Thanks for stopping. I could feel him gazing at me some more as I signaled and pulled back into traffic. Then he spoke again. Oh I’m Nate by the way.

I glanced over from the road for a moment. Good to meet you. I’m Joe. Where are you headed?

He answered. I'm going to the mall.

You mean the Galaxy Mall? I knew that the mall right on the way towards my home.

He grinned. Yeah, that's the one.

I'm going right past there on my way home.

Hey that's great! Nice wheels you got.

I chuckled. Yeah I make do.

We didn’t say anything for several minutes. I glanced over at him and from the way he talked I could now tell he was older, perhaps in his mid teens, anywhere from 13-15, though these days it’s difficult to guess ages and though he was short, I could tell he had a compact and muscular upper body.

Finally I broke the ice. So you got out early from school?

He thought for a moment and then chuckled. Nope I'm taking a day off and gonna hang at the mall.

Taking a day off?

He chuckled. Yeah just didn't go.

You do that often?

He grinned at me. Well it depends what you mean by often.

I had just retired the previous year from the police force and could see the pattern. How many kids I had to bust started this way, by skipping school and getting into trouble. It also brought back a memory of the time when I was his age or a bit older. When I was about your age I tried doing that and I got my butt tanned for it.

He looked at me and smirked as he slid down into the seat. You actually mean a spanking? He chuckled again. Really, at my age? I doubt it. I'm fourteen you know, not some kid. I could already see a hard edge emerge in his voice and in his manner and he said his age proudly.

A period of silence followed. Nate sometimes would squirm around like he was restless. Actually I figured you were around that age. I was sixteen when my Dad did it. Then I paused. So Nate, what would your Dad do if he found out?

His voice got hard and defensive. Don't have a Dad and if I did he wouldn't find out.

Everyone's got a Dad.

Yeah sure. He split and it's just Mom and me.

I felt bad. I'm sorry Nate. Must be rough huh?

Hey I manage. He folded his arms and slunk further down in the seat. Then I could tell he wanted to shut down that line of chatter. We're almost at the mall aren't we?

You're very observant. It's another couple of minutes. I didn’t mean to pry Nate.

That's OK. It doesn't matter anyway.

I felt sad to hear a kid that age talking like that. Of course it matters.

Then his tone got a little hostile. Why the fuck does it matter to you?

Like I said I didn't mean to pry. You seem to be a decent kid and I'm sorry you have to go without having a father around.

You don't know shit about me Joe. He folded his arms in front of him and slumped down in the seat. Then he chuckled If you knew the stuff I did you wouldn't say I'm decent.

Is that how you react whenever someone seems to care? He looked over at me and glared so I continued. Didn't mean to criticize you Nate. Just hang in there I'm sure things will get better.

Yeah sure it will. The sarcasm dripped from his voice. I'd seen it all before, but rarely from this juncture where it was still early in his development.

You know some people do care and I'm sure your Mom does. You really shouldn't skip school.

She's too fuckin' busy. Anyway school's a waste of time and it's boring and I hate the kids there.

The anger was just oozing out of this kid, and it was like he was doing his best to be obnoxious. I saw the mall coming up. We're almost there Nate.

Yeah I see. I reached an area where I could drop him off, and he reached back and picked up the backpack. Hey thanks for the ride Joe.

You're not angry with me are you Nate?

He grinned. It's OK. You seem like a nice guy.

Like I said things can be better if you let it.

Yeah. See ya. his inflection told me he didn't believe it. He closed the door and trotted towards the mall. I wondered what would become of him, because I could see he was on the way to trouble because of all his anger that would not allow anyone to really help him. However, there was nothing I could do, and I felt bad about that.

Chapter 2

Second Chance Encounter

Exactly two weeks later I was on my way home again from another business appointment on the same road at the same time of day. I looked over and there was a boy walking along the road again on a school day and it was unmistakably Nate. He was just walking along and glancing back from time to time and when he turned around he stuck his thumb out so I stopped to pick him up again. I figured he'd already forgotten who I was but I was motivated by the same instinct as before because I knew I'd be a safe ride for him. He was still wearing what looked like the same pair of jeans, but this time a different long sleeve shirt that was still not tucked in and the same shoes.

I pulled over and he trotted over to the car, and he opened it and threw the same knapsack onto the back seat and plopped down into the seat. As he got in the car he looked over at me. Hey good to see you again Joe.

I smiled. So you remembered me Nate.

He actually smiled back. Yeah pretty easy to remember someone who thinks I should get a spanking. He grinned and then continued. I recognized the car and figured I could get a ride again. There was a little less of the hardness and I was glad to see that.

I smiled and decided to pick up on the conversation we'd had before. I confess I do feel that way but I promise I won't pry anymore Nate.

Thanks. I'm glad you're not going to ask about school again. He slid down again into the seat. It was interesting that he brought up the subject even while pretending he didn't want to talk about it.

I glanced over at him, being careful to also keep my attention to the road I decided to see where he was going with this. Should I?

Well you'd get the same answer. I thought I saw a slight smirk on his face but I also knew it was an opening to pursue it further.

I assume that means you didn’t get into trouble for the last time.

His eyes lit up as he spoke confidently now. Shit no. Got one day detention at school and Mom didn't know why. Hell I can do detention in my sleep. He was actually at the point of bragging about it now.

So you seem to get detention a lot?

Sure I get some. I don’t give a shit what they do.

The boy certainly wanted me to see this part of him, it was like he was putting it out there to show me what he was like. Clearly what they do isn't working.

He smirked. Yeah and a spanking wouldn't work either.

You've never been spanked have you?

He smirked. Of course not.

I can tell because you'd never say it wouldn't work if you had. I never skipped school again after I caught it from my Dad."

His response was almost derisive. Like I said that shit wouldn't work with me.

You're that tough huh?

Damned right I am. He was silent for a moment like he was thinking. You were sixteen when he did it?

Despite his bravado he was really listening and retaining what I was telling him. Yes I was a junior in high school.

He seemed surprised. Man that's lame. I'd be damned if I'd let anyone do that to me when I was sixteen or even now.

Believe me my Dad gave me no choice.

He shook his head. Why the fuck would he do something like that when you were sixteen?

I wanted to cringe at his language. He really didn’t appreciate how to talk to someone, especially his elders. He wanted to make sure I kept out of trouble.

He chuckled Pretty dumb way to do it if you ask me.

Believe me it's not something I wanted to happen either.

You see I'm right! You even thought it was dumb!

I chuckled. I didn't say I thought it was dumb. I said I didn't want it just like you wouldn't. Actually later on I realized he was right to do it.

That's really weird Joe.

I paused and then asked him: Well when you haven't had any discipline I suppose it does sound that way.

Why the fuck would someone think beating their kids would make them better?

I nodded because he was right. Beating kids does terrible things to them. Some of the kids I had seen in trouble had been abused and it affected them terribly. You're correct. Beating and abuse are wrong. I hope you aren't abused are you?

Are you kidding? Nobody messes with me!

Good because beating your kids or anyone doesn't make them better. I'm glad that's not happening to you.

He had a look of triumph on his face. Yeah and that's why nobody's ever going to beat my butt!

You got it wrong Nate. My Dad didn't beat my butt, he spanked my butt and there's a difference.

No there isn't. He still hit you.

I slowly shook my head. Hitting and bashing a kid around in anger is beating I'll admit. A spanking is different because it's not given out of anger, it's a form of discipline. I got it because my Dad cared about how I behaved.

Now his mood suddenly got belligerent. Well I don’t need any friggin' discipline I just need to be left alone.

I see. Left alone to skip school all the time and get detention all the time. Of course that shows you don’t need discipline. So how's it working for you?

Now he was lashing out verbally. Adults are all the same. They just want to boss us around.

I'm not bossing you around I'm just a guy giving you a ride. You're going to the mall again, I assume?

He scowled. Yeah the mall.

We're almost there Nate. I didn’t mean to pry again, I don't want you to be upset with me about this.

Shit no Joe. I've been talked to worse than that. He almost giggled. Actually I still think you're a nice guy and even though you have weird ideas. I didn’t mean to give you shit.

I chuckled at him calling my ideas weird again. Weird, huh? That's OK. Hey here's your destination.

He smiled and reached back for the backpack and then opened the door. Thanks Joe. Don’t work too hard.

I'll try not to. He closed the door and ran towards the mall. At least there was still some decency inside that kid once you got to know him. However I wondered if anyone would ever be able to truly know him before he completely hardened and ruined his life.

As I watched him leave I knew the boy badly needed some structure and discipline but unfortunately I wasn't his parent and was helpless to do anything. In fact except for his first name and age I knew very little about him and wondered if that would be the last time I had contact with him and if so what would happen to him in the future.

Chapter 3

Nate And I Meet Again

Three more days went by and it was a Monday, my least favorite day of the week. It had been a disappointing meeting I had been to, and the client was just being totally unreasonable.

I was driving home after calling it an early day, and after stopping to check on another case I was on the road at the same time again. I happened to look up and see that Nate was walking along the road about one hundred yards ahead. He looked back and I saw him and at that moment he turned around and smiled and put his thumb out.

I nodded and pulled over and he hopped in, but this time he wasn't carrying a backpack. As usual it was the same faded jeans and shoes and a different t-shirt.

He smiled at me. Funny meeting you here, he quipped.

You going to the same place I assume?

Yeah. he said as he slumped down and rested his knee against the dashboard. So how are you Joe?

Not a good day.

His smile vanished. Damn I'm sorry. Hope things get better for you.

I smiled because it was good that the kid showed some empathy for someone else. That was a good sign. So I'm not the only one that can care?

He was actually a cute kid when he blushed and it was