The 6 o’clock whistle just sounded at my prison. I’m not like the Hollywood movie scene where I
make a chalk mark on the wall, but I do note in my calendar that day 364 is complete in my 5
year sentence. As I sit in my cell “toothless”, naked and my now deformed feet finally healing, I
think as I do every day what led me to this point in my life.
It started on a Saturday afternoon 2+ years ago while sitting at my local Starbuck’s. While
enjoying my latte, I was reading through a number of websites related to my teaching career.
You see, after earning my doctorate degree in Chemistry, I’ve advanced through the ranks in
the private academies that specialize in preparing the kids of the rich for college. Now I’m the
department head at premier New England facility and make a reasonably good income. But it
never hurts to look. And here was an ad for Stainbrook Academy looking for a department head
in Chemistry with an income level twice mine. Out of a bit of Saturday fun, I applied on-line and
promptly forgot about it.
It would appear that Stainbrook didn’t forget as a invitation letter came within the month
asking if I’d like to interview for the position. With it being in NYC with the possibility of a nice
weekend, I accepted.
I was instructed to meet George Schmidt in the lobby of the Waldorf at 1:00 PM on Friday.
Since George had my picture, he found me and I was invited to lunch. Our lunch was pleasant
with each asking general questions. Our formal meeting took place 90 minutes later I George’s
suite.
Specifically for me, I learned that the academy was located in a small island group in the
southern Caribbean. I really didn’t know this nation existed but was assured it was safe. The
school itself was rather interesting as it was intended for the “bastard” children of the rich &
powerful. The children was not a visible member of the family but given the opportunity for a
quality prep course for college. I would be living on the main island of the group in a school
provided bungalow home, head of the department, flown free-of—charge every other weekend
to Miami and paid $200K annually. George reviewed my credentials with evident satisfaction.
With all being said, it did not take long to accept.
As the school year at my current school would be ending in a few weeks, I was asked to join the
staff for summer school as an efficient means of learning about the academy. On the 3 rd
Monday of May, I boarded Stainbrook’s private float plane at the Miami airport’s executive
terminal. The 2 hour flight gave the chance to review additional data about the school and
prepare myself.
As the float plane coasted to the dock, I saw a greeting party of 2 cadets smartly dressed in
summer uniforms. Surprising to me were 2 facts. First my female guide was senior to male
cadet. Second, each cadet exhibited a strange coincidence in their mouths. Each were missing
the premolars next to their incisors. Both with 4 teeth missing in the same location; how
strange.
Walking up a slight incline on a beautiful pathway to the main building, the positive attributes
of the cadets was impressive; excellent salutes and welcoming greetings. Again a strange sight
for me, each cadet I met was missing the same 4 teeth.
George was present in the lobby to escort to meet the headmaster. Expecting Mr. Jason to be
in full uniform, I was surprised to see him in a business casual attire. He explained that cadets
wore uniforms and prescribed to a military doctrine as a means of preventing each for judging
one another on how wealthy their benefactor were.
Thinking back, the next piece of information presented is where I should have reconsidered my
position.
“George, Jim when I was making my way to your office, I noticed that with every cadet I
encountered, they were missing the same 4 teeth! Why?”
“Well Mike, you just observed one of the requirements that every student must have to be part
of the academy. Upon entering as a freshman, those 4 premolars are removed as a reminder of
the discipline we expect. Depending on the seriousness of an infraction, more teeth are
removed. It is NOT our intent to have a toothless graduate but if the offenses are great enough,
that could be the case.”
“You mean the parents go along with this?”
“Mike remember there are no parents, just a benefactor. These kids are “bastards” but special
“bastards.”
“And we need now to talk about you. All senior members of the staff MUST be fitted with
dentures.”
With that statement made, both George and Jim placed their dentures on the desk.
“I can only ask why but have no real objections. I’m very acquainted with partials (I removed my
upper and lower) as I left my front 12 teeth in the rugby field from a very nasty hit some years
ago.”
“Mike, it may seem strange but we felt if the kids could see that we view teeth as a luxury and
not a requirement, their actions may be different!”
“We have a dental staff in the island and like you as early as tomorrow to have your remaining
teeth removed. As it’s summer school, not everyone will be present so I recommend you
remain toothless till early August when impressions and dentures will be made. Of course this is
totally without charge.”
By that Wednesday afternoon, I was walking about the campus with a very “gummy”
expression.
My first year at Stainbrook pasted very swiftly with much success. The students were excellent,
they enjoyed my class and really seemed to learn. Personally, I learned the value of being a
toothless denture user. Thanks to the dental staff my dentures fit perfectly; never any need for
an adhesive. Beyond and because of their advise, I spent significant time just being toothless; to
the amazement of my students, I even taught a few classes sans dentures. It was a great year!
Year 2 bought about a change in the school and a change in me. The students seemed to a bit
more rowdy, less inclined to the cadet discipline. The result was an increase in infractions and
teeth being lost.
Being part of the staff for over a year, I now participated in the judgements for any infractions
and also was involved in the actions set forth by our rulings. Yes, with the dental staff, we
watched as a molar might be extracted for a classroom insubordination to a number of teeth
for trying to strike a staff member.
Our downfall may have occurred, when a cadet who was now a senior, had his last tooth
removed in his upper jaw. How he must have felt walking about campus with only teeth in his
lower jaw and a gummy upper. I suspect we could have road this out until a female cadet was
caught for the 3rd time in bed with her boy friend. The ruling was total extraction!
Both of these kids came from very powerful benefactors. When they went absent from campus,
they somehow contacted their benefactor. The result was a visit from the islands federal
service. A count was made through the 100 cadets and it was learned that beyond the required
4 missing teeth, each cadet had at least an additional 4. The comment from the authorities was
“how can a child who should have 28 teeth in his mouth begin adult life with just 20?” We were
in trouble!
I should mention, this small 4 island country is fully independent. It was never held by any of
the European powers who settled the new world. It’s foundation comes from pirates, escaped
slaves and anyone had to get away from the law. With pirate roots, bribery is a common
practice, hence how Stainbrook obtained its foothold. As we were to learn, our toothless
female’s benefactor was to use bribery to punish us for the need of his 18 year old to
commence adulthood with dentures. A quick trial and conviction supplemented by a $1M “gift”
to the Chief Administrator sealed our fate.
The 12 members of the Stainbrook staff stood before the Administrator, dressed conservatively
in Saville Row suits ready to learn our fate. None of us ever expected to hear what came next.
“I would use the word gentlemen but as we know from your actions, none of you are
gentlemen! You may expect a slap on the wrist and shipment back to your respective countries
but that is not going to happen! You live in our country and will abide by our rules long
established in our heritage.
The rules from your countries do not apply here so let me begin by telling you what is going to
happen.”
“First, as I understand each of you as part of your employment, were made toothless and use
dentures. My assistant will pass before you and you will place your dentures in his container.
You will never be allowed to be anything other than toothless while you remain in our island. It
is my reverent hope that if you ever leave, you mouths will be such that dentures cannot be
fitted and you shall have to spend the rest of your lives toothless!”
“Second, again my assistant will pass before you and you will place all of your clothes in his
container. So long as you remain on the island, you shall never be allowed the benefit of
clothing.”
“Third, as it was your choice before entering to the offenses committed against your students
to be toothless, abstaining from dentures is no penalty. Likewise, lack of clothing is too little for
what you’ve done, so I am going back into our history for a means to cause you pain.
Immediately upon leaving this court, each of you will proceed to our surgery center where the
toes from each foot are to be removed. Removed in such a way that your ability to walk will be
impaired for the balance of your lives.”
“Fourth, you are sentenced to our prison for a term not to exceed 15 years with a minimum of
5 years. The true length to be determined in your behavior.”
“I can offer one action to mitigate the longevity to 2 years, if you step forward now and agree
to be castrated besides the toe amputations. Do I have anyone wishes this clemency?”
None of us stepped forward. “Please take the criminals away and start the sentence as
prescribed.”
As we started to move out of the chambers, with all the people in the court looking and
laughing, I was #5 in line. I knew I had but a short time to still be walking properly. I tried to
stand tall and not even concern myself on how naked I felt.
As we left the courthouse, we were marched though the streets for 3 blocks. Some people
jeered, others laughed and few threw things. Any response was met by swipe of a baton which
was not too gentle. Arriving at the surgery center, no communications was allowed. Maybe it
was fitting, but George was the 1st of our group to see the surgeon. We neither heard any
screams nor saw George again as the next of us were pushed forward.
When my turn came hours latter, I tried to show as much dignity as I could despite my fear. I
was instructed to place myself on the surgery table and awaited my fate.
“I’m your surgeon. You really don’t need to know my name. Despite what you’ve done, I will
from normal human courtesy explain what I’ll be doing. The table is raised so you may sit up
and see the various amputations. You saw teeth removed but this will be much more. I’ll start
in your right foot first, placing a tourniquet at mid-calf to halt blood flow. The leg is raised to
help hold blood back. I’ll inject an anesthetic about the foot. Beginning with the big toe, I’ll
remove it the foot body.. Each of the next toes will follow. Then we’ll look at the bottom of the
foot to cut / remove tendons / ligaments that form an arch and hold the foot together. With
this action, your foot will soon become totally flat. Without the support to hold the foot bones,
it's shape will distort, some smaller bones may break and an even flatter characteristic will be
present. Once I’m done in the right, the left will also be done. I can assure you, if you manage
the 5 years, walking will either very painful or not at all. I would expect, if you ever leave, the
only way you’ll walk again is to have below the knee amputations and use artificial limbs. Now I
begin.”
Despite not wanting too, I couldn’t keep my eyes off the surgeon’s action. My right big toe
gone, then the long toe, pain, real pain was starting but that was nothing compared to the
incisions on the bottom of my foot. I could really see my foot flattening out. The minutes
dragged on as my body was desecrated. It was all over,I no longer had feet like a normal
human. Canvas boots with sponge support were attached and I was told to step down. I
fainted! I was told to walk and when I hesitated the baton suggested I try. I can’t really say how
I moved but somehow I did. I “walked” the 6 blocks to prison, entered my cell and collapsed.
The early months blurred by the constant pain and abuse to my body. Once the stitches were
removed from my feet, the canvas boot was taken away. Toughen up what’s left I’m told. Just
getting to the bucket used for bodily waste, only 3 steps was excruciating. I know that I needed
food to survive but what I was given could only be eaten with teeth; I had none.
So here we are, 364 days in and 4 years to go. If you look at my body, my hair is gone, with the
lose of 50+#’s, my mouth is gaunt, cheeks hallow, legs really starting to atrophy from lack is us
and my feet look like large paddles. My feet used to be a C width but I’d guess there’re now
EEEEE. But I’m alive.
After 4 years, I’ve come back to my writing. I can only faintly describe these years. I believe a
good portion of my mental capacity is gone. I live just above the scale of an animal.
The two comments of the Administrator seem to have come true. My mouth has shrunk to half
it’s normal width. The bones of my jaw have reverted to being totally flat. A denture will never
be possible. Likewise, I cannot walk up right. I go about life on all fours.
As I said, 4 years have passed and I’m now being released tomorrow. As I am, there is no place
to go. My only offer comes from the surgeon who put me in this shape. He wants to experiment
on me. Can I be brought back to life?
I’m taken the next day to his home. A room slightly larger than my cell is given to me. It has a
real bed and access to a real bathroom. I’m told to get settled. The doctor will talk to me soon.
“Mike, I never told you my name 5 years ago. It’s Dr. Howard. You were the only prisoner who
didn’t fight, didn’t complain and accepted your fate. That action allowed for your release. If you
approved, I’m going to try to make your life better.”
“First you need to eat and gain strength. I believe it best to place a feeding tube into your
stomach, catheterize use for fluid waste and for the bodily waste a tube / bag for external
collection. This will allow me to build you up quickly.”
“In a few months after you gain 20+#’s, we’ll look at your legs. If you remember, I told you that
leg amputation would be required 5 years ago; that is true today. But it won’t be below the
knee as you leg muscles are so far gone, the amputations will be well up the thigh.”
Again time becomes a blur. I’m now lucid enough to be told Dr. Howard worked on me for
whole year. All the tubes are gone and I can function normally for disposal of bodily waste. I
have 2 stumps inches below my pelvis but enough present with creative harnessing to have
artificial limbs. Walking is still a learning process.
What remains the same however is I’m still on the island so I have neither teeth no clothes. My
mouth has filled out somewhat and I’ve learned to gum a considerable variety of food. With my
being naked, I asked and Dr. Howard obliged so I had my testicles removed and penis shortened
so it’s hard to see even when close. I feel more comfortable with people present that my sex
cannot be seen.
I’m closing on 50 years on this earth. Really don’t expect or care to live much longer. I only think
of what life could have been like if I and others wouldn’t have been toothless!