ai yi yi

I saw Mungo today and said, "Holy crap! What happened to you?" He has a red spot in one eye, and big livid bruises around it, and a dark shadow around the other.

He shrugged and made a deflecting gesture with one hand. "I got hit in the face."

"With what? By whom?"

"A fist."

"A fist? Somebody punched you in the face? Why?"

"I was talking to his girlfriend."

"One punch?" Nod. "Did you hit him back?" Headshake. "Is there anything you need to do to take care of it?" Shrug. "When did this happen?"

"Monday."

Monday! I haven't seen him, since he's been working or sleeping, but we have talked on the phone since then.

His nose is straight, but still swollen. It's probably broken, isn't it? A doctor wouldn't do anything with it, since the bone is in the right place, right?

How common is this, for boys? I don't think his dad ever punched anybody or got punched.