Suong: So how’s your eye? You’re not looking too bad!

Tim: …..yeah thanks. I’m basically ok, although my mate’s still at home in plaster.

Suong: You’re kidding me? Really? They’ll get two years for that, won’t they?

Tim: Ha ha., I’d like to see that! You weren’t there at the investigation!

Dan: Investigation? You went to the police?

Tim: Not us, my dad, after he saw us. First we went to hospital, and then to the police.

Dan: And? How was it? They didn’t give you another black eye, by any chance?

Tim: No, first they let us freeze out in the corridor, we thought they were going to get a legal interpreter. But we were ok in the end because my dad could do the interpreting.

Suong: So do you know anything about the people who did it? The police are going to investigate, right?

Dan: Oh come on! Even if Tim knew who did it, it wouldn’t help.They still wouldn’t get punished.

Tim: Why not? If you know who did something, then it’s gonna get resolved somehow, isn’t it?

Dan: Resolved?! Look, I know one of the guys who hit me a while ago, he lives in the same building as me. He doesn’t look like someone who’s afraid something’s going to happened to him.

Tim: Well that’s just plan stupid. Dad also said that even if they were punished, it would only be for bodily harm, nobody would be able to prove any racist motive!

Dan: It’s like I keep saying!! Learn to box, like me when I was beaten up. It’s a better solution than going to the police!

Tim: Maybe you’re right, maybe it would have been a bit more practical than the volleyball I do!

Tim: Hang on Dan, you really started to learn how to box after someone beat you up?

Dan: Yeah! Listen, it’s the only thing that’s going to help you. For a while, I was afraid to go out in case I met those guys again and they beat me up. Then one day I met a friend who was learning to box, and he persuaded me to go with him. It seemed like a good idea , to at least know what to do if someone started something … Now I’d probably end up hammering them … there’s less rules on the street than in the ring.

Tim: So you could teach me something, could you?

Dan: Ight, watch! The basic boxer’s stance is like this: one foot in the front of the other, okay? Then put the same hand in front, and your other hand covering your face…

Tim: Like this? Am I doing it right? And now a right hook…

Dan: Ow!!! You want me to have a shiner like you, don’t you?