It was obvious that this meet meant a great deal to him. He was jumping into the air before the race ended and as our swimmer touched into second plac... he let out a woop and ran to the pool’s edge where he happily greeted his successful swimmer. I walked over and congratulated the swimmer as well, trying to act cool around Matt though I felt nothing like cool. He finished with his congratulations and as my teammate left Matt turned his attention to me. Looking down at me he said, “How you. I don’t think his Arabic was very good, either. I’d get myself a box of raisin cookies later.Small or not, the mall still had a round central square (a round square ... English is such a limited language, don’t you find?) with some benches and a small stone fountain, which for some reason was illuminated by green lamps. There was a large TV mounted on the wall and while I enjoyed my raspberry frozen yoghurt the news came on. I had a great view from a plastic chair inside the shop. Outside, many. Mia had also been thankful St. Christopher's had done away with corporal punishment by the time she came along. She was not a trouble maker by any means, but there was a certain comfort in knowing that being paddled at school wasn't even a remote possibility.Mia had learned the tradition of corporal punishment had been in full effect when her mother had attended St. Christopher's because Sister Agatha, who had apparently been there since the dawn of time, had recalled with fondness a few. You're all tied up. And oh, yeah, now you have this thing. hanging from your butt. How does that feel?" She stepped behind him again to find the nozzle of the plug and gave it a few more squeezes. He cried out in pain. "Aww. Does that hurt?" She asked as she squeezed again and again."Geez. You're ripping me open! Stop! Quit it! Stop!" I don't hear you begging," she said matter of factly. "I don't hear you begging at all." She gave the plug another couple of pumps."Okay. Okay. Please.