Description: One day I discovered an angel. He was 7 years old, and his (I thought) father had tried to use him as a punching bag. His mother was killed trying to protect him. His father, the puncher is in the hospital after I hit him with a shovel handle on the side of his head. I was too late to save the mother, but I did save Jonny.

Edited By Barney R. Messed with afterward by me all errors are mine

I am Ralph Simkin 35, a widower, and living in a mid-Michigan city. I am something of a neighborhood enigma because I live in the house I grew up in and I could easily afford a much better class (in America that means people with more money) neighborhood. Most of my neighbors are either retired or newlyweds. Except for my next-door neighbors, the Carmicheals. He is a drunken violent abuser and she was a 26-year-old mouse. Unfortunately, they have a beautiful old soul of a 7-year-old, Jonathan William.

I have had to rescue Mary more than once when her ASSHOLE got drunk and started wailing on her. He has never taken a swing at me, so I can’t have him arrested. In fact, I think he is afraid of me because as soon as I got involved, Gary always took off for a few days for parts unknown.

Before the day that he killed Mary, I had never seen Gary hit Jonny as I called him. I had told Gary that while I could not get him arrested, that if the day would come when he harmed Jonny, I would see that he would never harm anyone again.

I had given up on trying to save Mary from harm, I had taken her to the local battered woman’s shelter four or five times, and almost before I was back home she returned to Gary. The last time she came back I told her I would not do it again, but I would take Jonny and keep him with me. That did not seem to make a great impression, but at least she agreed to send Jonny to me when Gary started getting angry. She was too late this time.

When I heard the screaming and the sounds of things being thrown around next door I called 911 and grabbed a shovel that I keep in the back entryway of my house and went over to get Jonny. I saw Jonny on the floor curled up in a ball with the side of his face covered with blood and Gary standing over him screaming at him and calling him a bastard and that he was going to kill him too. As he drew back his leg to kick Jonny, I swung that shovel with all of the strength that I had and probably some of the strength that was given from on high. Gary went down and his momentum sent him into the door and out cold.

I then noticed Mary was on the floor near where Jonny lay. I went over to her, but I could see where Gary had killed her with his bare hands.

The police and the ambulance’s arrived and took Jonny to the local Children’s Hospital. They handcuffed me and Gary, took Gary to the police lockup wing of the hospital and after hearing my story and talking to some of the neighbors they released me and arrested Gary. I left to go see about Jonny.

I had been very lucky in my life and had managed to make my hobby a well paying job. I was an inveterate tinkerer, and I invented several small devices that are used on every small engine or low voltage battery motor used in lawn care equipment that is made in America. I get less than a dollar per piece from my invention, but every string trimmer, every leaf blower; every lawnmower, chainsaw, power washer, etc. uses my parts.

I also invested wisely, and most of my money is making more money. I also have not felt any pressure to leave the neighborhood. I own 5 houses on the dead-end street and I rent them out to the newlyweds that otherwise would not find suitable housing that they could afford. I check my tenants over carefully, and once I have agreed to have them rent from me, they become almost my extended family.

I think that I moved back to my childhood neighborhood after my wife died unexpectedly because I would not be reminded of her in every room.

Gary and Mary Carmicheal were the fly in the ointment. Mary was the one I interviewed about renting one of my houses. She said her husband was away on a job and would be gone for about 2 months. I found out later he had been in jail for 90 days on a drunk and disorderly (3rd offense). I made the mistake of feeling sorry for her and rented the house right next to mine.