caught smoking (diary 1989/11/12)

Yesterday when my son came home from school, he smelled like a cigarette. He did not admit having smoked, but after checking his pockets I was sure. Two packs of marlboro and a lighter appeared when i searched his bag. I remembered the time at school when I was smoking...
Getting caught at school and never admitting. But in the orphanage where I grew up strict rules were used to keep us in line. When I was caught first time in winter 1989 breaking the rules was not accepted. Our governess, Mrs Derovich took the three girls that were caught to her office. She took a little sponge for each of us and rubbed it with soap. After putting these smelly cigarettes in our mouth she will clean it up, she told us. We had to stand in a line and Mrs. Derovich soaped our mouths with this terrible sponge. We had to stand in corner for about 30 minutes, keeping this soapy sponge in mouth. One of us, Paula, was caught smoking earlier before, she got 6 strokes with a leather strap on each palm in addition.
I felt so humiliated wearing this sponge in my mouth and it was quite uncomfortable to taste the soap all the time. It took a long time I tried smoking again. So the punishment was quite effecctive in the past. I used it the same way yesterday to my son hoping he wont smoke again. His two packs of marlboro I flushed down the toilet.