Years ago, probably at Frolicon, I picked up a heavy rubber baton for impact play. Unfortunately I lost it in the divorce, but last week I got two new ones in the mail. (They weren’t gifts. I bought them for myself.) I like these implements because they deliver a deep, heavy THWACK and can leave big bruises.

This past weekend I got to use them. And I made someone cry.

A lot.

I may have mentioned (numerous times) that I love tears. I love making people (consensually) cry. And I love leaving bruises. The baton gave me that, and I was quite pleased with the results.

One thing about these batons is that, because they’re so heavy-duty, you have to be careful how hard you swing them. I can swing a paddle fairly hard and yes, it hurts and leaves marks, but the impact is spread out over a larger area. With the baton, all of that force hits in a one-inch-wide stripe. What we do is inherently dangerous, but certain implements are more dangerous than others, and I would say the baton qualifies. I’ve practiced with it, so I know how hard I can hit, and how much force I can use.

The lesson here: if you want to bruise someone and make them cry, practice with the implement first, and always work up to it. Don’t just swing for the fences.

Though… more on that tomorrow.