My dear son,
 
How are you? Life in the big city must be suiting you – you don’t write very often.
 
I’m not happy.
 
I’m nearly blind these days, hardly able to see anything clearly.
 
But that’s not the real reason.
 
I don’t know how to tell you this, but I must. I cannot take your father’s torture anymore.
 
I don’t know how I have managed to stay married to this man for so many years.
 
I know the worst thing one can do is to say terrible things to a son about his father.
 
But your father has left me with no choice. He tortures me every single day with his words, his behaviour, his cruelty.
 
Life with him is a nightmare.
 
I am sorry I had to tell you all this.
 
Your loving mother
 
PS: Since I can hardly see, I dictated this letter to your father, who wrote it out and posted it to you.