I have to admit the only reasion I made it a punch instead of a slap was because I wanted to show her fears ie. how she percived the dammage as compared to what really happened. Seeing as it was marked in red and to be taken out I'd agree to change it to a slap. At that point a strike is a strike.
Thank you for all the links and I really like the idea of picking up the refernce material from a second hand store. I would have paid full price at a walden's books and have been none the wiser. A 1999 dictionary will have most of the words I have had trouble with along with a cool number along the spine.