“What the…†I yelled and leapt up, at the same time trying to get a swing at the person dripping water on me.
“Take it easy, man!†my older brother said, in a startled voice, ducking under my swinging fist. “Whoa! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you! Well, actually I did, but not that much!â€
“How did you think I’d react, then? Huh? I was just trying to work on my tan and all of a sudden someone pours a … load of water on me! Of course I’m mad!â€
My brother left me with a mutter, that sounded very much like cursing and after a couple of deep breaths to calm myself down, I went back to working on my tan.
Some time later, I could hear someone coming out on to the balcony. Suddenly, my arms were yanked back hard and I could feel handcuffs being put on my wrists. I, naturally, started swearing again. “What the…! Why can’t I be left alone out here? MPH!!†It, of course, was my brother again! This time he had brought handcuffs and a ball gag. I tried to get up, but it was impossible with my hands held behind my back, so I just had to lay there.
Once my hands were secured behind my back with the handcuffs and I was silenced with the ball gag, he sat down in a chair in front of me.
“Now, little brother,†he said, “let’s teach you some manners, shall we? I’m going to let you continue sunbathing, but I won’t let you out of the cuffs, or take off the gag, until I’m sure you won’t take a swing or swear at me again. Is that understood?â€
I nodded “yes, I understand†and he left. But every so often he would return, and each time he would drip some water on me and ask, if I would be a good boy and each time, I would growl at him.
After a while though, I resigned to my fate and he let me go.
“There,†he said with a wry smile. “It wasn’t so terrible, now was it?â€
I tell you, if looks could kill, I swear he would have died on the spot!

