Dear Daddy,

This is Ellen and I decided to write you because every time I talk to you, you will never listen to me. I’m scared to even say hi to you because I’m so scared that you might hurt me again. You are so mean to my mommy and I. Can’t you see what you are making us go though. All you ever do is come home and say "Make me some food." Momma cries and cries all the time. I hate it when you keep coming home drunk or for that matter coming home, eating and then you leave again to go get drunk. You come home and hurt mom I have to sleep with her every night so that you don’t hurt her. You are scaring me can’t you see that. You don’t care about anybody but yourself. If anything ever happened to my mother I wouldn’t be able to live I tell her everything and she is always there for me when I need somebody to talk to. I can’t even tell you how my day went because you don’t care about me at all. I want to get to know you better and I want you have a normal life and not be a "drunk" Everybody thinks that our family is odd because it is nothing is right in our family. If you would get some help with your drinking problem and your problem with always hitting us we might be closer to having a good family. I just want to be happy and I’m not. I know that nobody’s family is perfect but it isn’t as messed up as ours. Please just try and get some help I know that it will be hard but please. I just at least want to be able to have a normal conversation with you and I can’t even do that. I’m getting to the point where I don’t’ even want to call you my dad because you don’t act like it at all. Nothing you do is like a normal father should do. Please all that I ask of you is that you get some help.

Your Daughter,

Ellen