As a child, my twin brother Michael and I would get into fights constantly. These fights would always stem from some trivial matter, such as who was given the biggest pork chop at dinner, who got to sit in the chair or on the couch closest to the television, or who got the first piece of a freshly opened package of bologna, which featured the much coveted Oscar Mayer logo molded onto the meat. Various punishments would result from this, including spanking, taking away our Atari, and taking away our television privileges.
One punishment that has stuck with me for the longest time occurred when I was seven years old. My favorite show at the time was the Superfriends, a cartoon featuring Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and other heroes, showcasing their battles against the forces of evil. I watched this show religiously, and looked forward to each new episode.
I can’t remember what I did wrong that day (I probably hit my brother). But my Mom decided that a fitting punishment was to stand with my nose against the wall for 30 minutes. I hated this punishment. What a pointless exercise in futility, and perhaps that is why parents choose it. As I went to the wall to endure a half-hour of boredom, I heard from the living room the sounds of Superfriends coming on. Panic! I begged my mom to forego the punishment for a half-hour so that I could watch the cartoon, but to no avail. I stood with my nose against the wall, listening as the episode began. It involved some of the Superfriends being trapped in the Land of Oz. Double Panic! I was a big fan of The Wizard of Oz at that age, and such a crossover was sure to make for an excellent episode. Despite my pleading and tears, my mom wouldn’t budge. I even asked to be spanked just so I could get it over with, but no luck. Michael even asked on my behalf, but he was unsuccessful as well. Here are some screenshots of the episode. Doesn’t it look excellent?
Mr. Mxyzptlk breaking it down for the Superfriends
Superfriends….Transformed!
Finally, I heard the cartoon end, with Superman explaining to his comrades who had wondered where they had been that day “I guess you could say we went over the rainbow.” At that moment, my mother released me from my punishment. I raced to my room, crying. My brother consoled me, crying as well. He did his best to describe the episode to me (which I appreciated), but it couldn’t match seeing it in person.
I finally saw the episode in reruns a few months later, but it just wasn’t the same. Every time I see or think of that episode, I am reminded of my punishment. So, did the punishment work? It is hard to say. Since I can’t remember what I was being punished for, part of me says no. But the fact that it has stuck with me for so long makes part of me say yes. I just know that whenever I have a kid, I know of a punishment that will stick with them for awhile. If I can bring myself to do it.
