Ruler. Stick. Hand. Whatever. It wasn't the pain, it was the embarrassment. Back in the old days we didn't have A/C and sealed houses so everybody was in everybody else's bidness all'a time.

Porches used to be for sitting-on in the evening. Parents would talk about their day while the kids caught fireflies. There was a certain unwritten etiquette about strolling by somebody else's home. You'd say howdy to each other. If no invitation was issued to come to the porch then you'd pass a few pleasantries and move-on. You'd invite somebody to the porch for a lemonade, iced tea of water. If you had alcohol you knew better than to invite non-drinkers up to the porch. That's when you'd invite the Catholics, Jews and Episcopalians to the porch.

B