I watched Drake catch his breath.
He was obviously very ticklish, regardless of how tough his feet seemed to be. But as soon as the tickling stopped, he returned back to normal, none the worse for wear. That's sort of what made it almost diabolical. To stand here and watch a burly, well-muscled and cocky teenager reduced to a wiggling, begging mass of laughter, against his will was simply, amazing.
My reverie was broken as the magistrate spoke to the tourist group again.
"Folks, we always encourage our visitors to help and administer justice to the prisoner. So feel free to step up and see just how much you can make him laugh!"
Immediately several boys and girls trotted briskly to the front of the stocks, and started tickling Drake's bound feet. They elicited a few giggles and jerks from him, but they lacked the talent of the trained young actors who had been working him over during the first part of the public punishment session. I walked up to them, and knelt in front of the stocks.
"See young’uns, ya gotta scrape your fingernail along his instep, like this." I said, demonstrating by dragging my fingertip along Drakes instep. He responded by yelling and trying to pull away.
"Cal, c'mon...it's bad enough without you giving 'em instructions!"
The young people now redoubled their efforts, and it was paying off. Drake began to jerk and wriggle as the little fingertips increased the pressure and stiffly scratched his soles. The, a couple of the girls started to drag feathers between his tied toes, and Drake erupted into hysterics.
"AGGH! HA! HA! HA! C'mon! Quit that now! HA! HA! HA!" Drake shook his head, like he was trying not to sneeze. Then he strated yelling again.
"I swear Cal, I'm gonna git you back fer this! HA! HA! HA!! I hope you never git in trouble, 'cuz if'n you do...I'll see you in here!"
Cameras clicked and whirred. It was quite a scene. What Drake didn't know was that I was in trouble; or had been. And I was on probation. Unfortunately part of that probation was community service. I was just thankful that my PO was back on the mainland. What I didn't know was that my parents had my probation switched to Kelly's Island, and I had my first PO meeting tomorrow morning!
"You'll be waiting a while Drake." I said grinning.
If only I knew then what I know now.
"Well folks, here comes the special treat I was promising you," said the Magistrate. He gestured towards the two actors who were walking back towards the stocks. These young men were carrying a small bucket, with a couple of paintbrushes, and a horde of hungry looking dock cats were following them. There were at least a half-dozen of the felines, all meowing and caterwauling incessantly, like they hadn't eaten in months.
Drake panicked as the youths began to brush his feet with what looked like some kind of dark, fishy oil, "w-w-wait a minute James," he sputtered. "Nobody said nuthin' 'bout....BWAH!! HA! HA! HA! OH! NOOOOO! Git' 'em OFF ME!! HA! HA! HA!"
Drake screamed and hollered, his face turned red, and he laughed so loud you could hear him echoing off the other buildings in the square. The fish oil wasn't only a good way to get the cats to lick his feet, but it also lubricated the skin, making the effect of the rough tongues even more torturous. What was worse was the cats would stop every now and then to clean their whiskers and noses, and then almost on cue resume their licking and lapping. I know how crazy I would go when my dog licked my toes. Once, my girlfriend was fooling around and she licked my foot; I almost kicked her in the face it tickled so bad! I couldn't imagine six cats working on me at once. But working on Drake they were.
"OH PLEEEZE!! HA! HA! HA!" Drake begged, "Git 'em OFF MAH FEET!" Drake tried desperately to wiggle his toes, but his feet were stretched out tight.
"I SWEAR! I WON'T GIT DRUNK NO MORE! HA! HA! HA!" Drake's eyes were bugging out, and his chest heaved. The tourists were taking pictures Like crazy.
"AGGGHHH! BWAH! HA! HA! HA! MAKE 'EM STOP LIKKIN!! MAKE 'EM STOPPPPP!!!"
It went on like that for another three or four minutes, and then the youth had to recoat Drake's feet. After the second coat, the spectators started to get bored, and so the tour guide led them away. The cats finished their little brunch, and soon enough Drake was back to normal again.
Drake sighed, "Fuuuckk ME! That was a bad one man. They never done me with the daggone CATS before!"
"Yeah", I said, "it looked pretty bad man."
"You feel like yer gonna die!" he said, frowning, then he looked up. "Oh shit man, I gotta take a leak. Can you ask the deputy to lemme outta here?."
"Sure."
I found the deputy who had been there earlier to watch the "show", and he let Drake out of the stocks.
"Don't git lost Drakey...ya still got a couple hours to go yet."
"I know, I know...." Drake said, nodding his head and waving his hand as he trotted towards the restroom.
The deputy looked at me. "You're Caleb Brown, ain't ya?"
"Yessir..." I said sheepishly.
"Well, I just told yer parents that you have an appointment with yer PO tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m.; it's at his office, second floor, the new courthouse. Know where it is?"
"Nahh...but I'll find it."
"Good, you better, because if you don't we'll have to come and find you." He said sternly.
"What's he want to see me about?"
"Usual bullshit...get to meet his new client, ask you some questions, give ya a piss test, and then work out yer CS."
"CS?" I said.
"Yeah, community service..." he said with and evil grin.
"Oh fuuuckkk!" I though to myself.
(continued)
