There was a guy in the next street who hit his wife and kids. The police came, the social services too, several times. When I got to hear about it I went straight round to the next street and...

He was just getting out of his car. I took his keys and locked the car. You get the keys and the car back tomorrow, minus the crate of beer and the two bottles of whisky. I unlocked the door of his house and followed him inside.

You wanted to drink that booze and then hit your wife and kids. I'm not asking you, I'm telling you.

You drink alcohol, though you know that you will throw up, you're taking those tablets, yes, the ones that you have to take. You don't want to go back to the clinic, do you?

You hit the wife and the children. They don't like it. They never asked you to do that to them. You got a court order not to touch them. Next time you land up in jail. I am not going to tell you what happens to child beaters in jail.

I'm not asking you why you do this. I don't want to know. I am telling you to stop drinking and cut the violence. You are going to tell me that you are going to keep off the booze. You are going to tell me that you will not hit your wife and kids again.

He called me every name he could think of, twice. What was I, a thirteen-year-old girl, telling him, an adult, what to do. He even used my real name, that pleased me. Ten minutes to empty the garbage out of his head.

You finished? Sit down!

He sat down.

I'm telling you for the second and last time. You are going to tell me that you are going to keep off the booze. You are going to tell me that you will not hit your wife and kids again.

I looked him in the face. He almost looked human, for a man. Would he cry?

He said that he was very sorry. Why did he say that? I did not need to know. He apologised for all the names he called me. Why bother? I've heard worse.

He told me that he was going to keep off the booze. He told me that he would not hit his wife and kids again. He said that he really meant it and that he hoped that I believed it.

Just do it! I said and looked him in the face.

He didn't cry, no, he looked almost human and almost smiled.

He looked at me. He said I looked real pretty. He liked me. Could he ask something. Could he hit me.

I looked at him in the face.

I mean, please could I hit you. I would like that.

Do you really want to hit me?

Oh, yes! Please can I hit you.

Yes if you want to.

He hit me.

Oh! I really enjoyed that. I'd like to do it again.

I looked at him in the face.

I mean, please could I hit you again. I would like that.

Oh! If it makes you happy.

He hit me again.