I live in a third floor one-room studio apartment with a window whose view is the apartment building opposite across a tiny alley. I never get direct sunlight; sometimes an oblique sunlight early in the morning when the sun is rising. I'm rarely fully awake at that time but catch it during insomnia.

Sounds coming out of other apartments are reflected in the alley and I can often hear activity in other apartments. Mostly conversations, sometimes arguments, that I can't understand or the sound of cooking and the attendant fragrance.

It's mostly non-intrusive, except for one apartment that I can't locate where some kid is having a horrible childhood. I've lived here for over six years and the child was born in that time. I remember hearing the infant cries. There may be a second infant by now.

But the first infant has grown somewhat, enough to have his disturbed, battleaxe of a grandmother, I'm guessing, hollering at him in a banshee screech whenever she perceives he's done something wrong. Even when the child starts wailing, she continues screaming at him. It's child abuse as far as I'm concerned, and this woman should be arrested and put into therapy.

As I mentioned, I can't locate the apartment. It might be the one directly above me. I know they have small children. I've seen the stroller, I've picked up tiny slippers that had fallen off in the stairwell and brought them up and put them outside their door.

But even if I could locate the apartment, what am I gonna do? I don't speak the language. And it's controversial whether calling the police is the best course of action, acknowledging the sad state of social services in this regard.

I thought of seeking out public social services which might have informational flyers on domestic violence and child abuse and suggestions on what to do. I've noticed that the main front doors of apartment buildings around here have clear plastic pockets where community notices can be posted.

I thought maybe if I could get informational flyers, I could put them on all the main doors in the area, which at least might put the abusive family on notice that someone notices. But even doing that seems way beyond my means to pursue. I'm still in touch with my last Mandarin teacher and we get together every once in a while. I suppose I'll brainstorm with her when we meet again.

Until then, I decided, if I ever hear abuse happening, I'm going to place my meditation bell right by the window and ring it at intervals in mindfulness fashion for the duration of the screaming and crying.