There Are Worse Things Than a Caning, Dear!

“Now, dear; some ground rules:  This is not a NORMAL hospital; this is a mental hospital.  And you are here because you are a mental patient – it’s as simple as that.  I don’t want to hear any of that blathering about how you are ‘normal’, how you’ve been put in here because someone wants you out of the way…  because if that’s the case, they’ve very much succeeded.  This place is very much ‘out of the way’.  No, as far as I’m concerned, if you’ve been placed in here it is because you, girl, are a mental patient; end of story! 

Nobody wants to listen to the ramblings of a mental case, nobody will take a blind bit of notice of anything you say, so you might as well get that in your head right away.  You will not speak unless spoken to, and you will do so only in a whisper.  You will address me as Matron and you will do EXACTLY what I tell you; immediately and without argument.  And you can start by learning how to stand properly; a mental patient does NOT make eye contact with ANYONE…  EVER.  You make eye contact with ME, girl, and you’ll taste my cane across your backside…  Oh yes!  Don’t look so shocked.  I’m fully authorised to use corporal punishment if that is what it takes to tame you!  And I’ve already warned you about eye contact; on the rare occasions you’re allowed out of bed and I speak to you, you will look down at your feet, keep your head slightly bowed at all times. 

I will have no defiance; you will learn to submit to my authority to an extent and in ways you can’t even imagine…  Ok let’s have you bend and touch your toes;  I’m going to give you your first introduction to institutional corporal punishment… And before you think about refusing, think about THIS:  One word from me, one bad report or recommendation, and you could well find yourself going down the path to having a lobotomy carried out.  How do you think you will feel then – not just a mental patient but a LOBOTOMISED mental patient? ”