bobb

You asked me why I chose your company. I would like to share an encounter with an old friend from when I was a social worker.

Next. Please put your health report here. What's your name?

Julio Blanco Antonio.

Julio?! It's you!

Glad to see you still remember me.

It's not like I had many friends in middle school.

I was worried when I lost touch with you after that thing. Where did you go? What have you been up to?

You mean that time when those kids cornered us in the bathroom and I broke one of their noses.

The school wanted to expel me for it, but you insisted on appealing all the way up to the headmaster, and you actually got them to downgrade the expulsion to a suspension.

But you chose to leave anyway...

I'm sorry, Eliseo. I was angry at how they treated descendants of refugees like us. I didn't want to stay and grovel to them.

I was a fool. At least we could beat them in schoolwork while we were there.

Julio... are you alright?

I... you know, Eliseo, that day in the bathroom. I looked down on you for trying to talk to them rather than fight them.

But I began to admire you after learning what you did for me. Now, you're a valued member of the community, while I'm still a burden.

I saw the health report in his hand. Saw it as soon as he walked through the door.

It's that bad? Your condition.

The worst disease here is not Oripathy, but poverty.

Stamp it for me, old friend. I hear the insurance companies need it before they pay. They accept your reports, don't they?

Is there something wrong?

I rarely see first-time visitors whose conditions are so serious, unless they refused treatment... or failed to receive a diagnosis until their condition had advanced significantly.

When was your last health check? Where? Can I see the report?

I brought it... the last few checkups were at a community center near my home.

This is... have you been taking your medicine on time?

I've taken all my meds on time! I swear! I never miss a single one!

But it works differently on different people, right? Oripathy wouldn't exist if there was a real cure!

Do you have to look so closely? It's just a regular old health report. Go ahead and stamp it if there's no problem, alright?

But your Cell-Originium Assimilation has increased by 1% this quarter alone. At this rate...

You need to consider additional treatment, if basic medication isn't working.

Good advice. I'll keep it in mind.

Julio... is this about money?

What else? Basic insurance is all we can afford.

Nadie's pregnant. Yes, I got married. Before I got sick, I thought she was the only good thing to happen to me in this shithole country.

Now, though, I'm a burden to my family.

I'm sorry, Julio.

I said I was sorry. At the time, I thought it couldn't be helped. Many patients see their conditions steadily deteriorate, until they meet the same end.

If you really want to help... do you have any meds here that you don't need? You know, leftovers, samples from insurance companies, expired ones, that sort of stuff?

If you could slip me a box or two...

I'm sorry, I can't. All medicine pickups must be registered.

I've never begged you before, Eliseo, even when we were the best of friends. I hate begging, I-I never did that, even to those Columbian kids.

...I'm sorry, Julio.

Hah, just kidding. I'll take my portion and leave.

We collect donations from the community to subsidize treatment for patients with economic hardship. You can fill out this form...

Has anyone actually gotten that kind of help?

Yes... not many, though.

Luck doesn't just decide to favor people like us.

Fill it out anyway while I get your meds for this quarter. I'll be a minute.

The door to the storage room was made of glass. As I unlocked the door with my pass, I saw him crane his neck looking at me in the reflection.

I felt guilty. Perhaps he still harbored hope that I would happen to find a spare box of medicine.

Here's your medicine, Julio... and I've stamped your health report. I'll do what I can to help you. I promise.

Thanks, Eliseo... see you.

At first, I thought little more of this reunion between old classmates, until an anxious colleague came to me the next morning.

Forty-five, forty-six... you're right, we're one box short. The number was correct when I took inventory yesterday before I left. You were the one who asked for another check, Mick. Did something happen?

Just one box? Well... I thought there might have been a break-in at the office. I lost my lanyard yesterday and found it in the corridor this morning.

Don't look at me like this, I know you've reminded me many times...

When you leave your lanyard on the table for everyone coming in and out of the office to see, we have no choice but to suspect the visitors when something goes missing. It's irresponsible to both sides.

Yeah, yeah, I know. Did you notice any suspicious characters, then?

Maybe someone stole the lanyard while they were in here, stole a box of meds, then fled the scene, leaving the work pass behind?

That doesn't make sense. Why did the thief steal just one box? Could there be another reason?

Let's not suspect anyone without evidence. Keep your pass safe, and I'll see what I can do about the lost meds.

I visited Julio's house with a few daily necessities after work that day.

I know I shouldn't suspect him without evidence, but there was something about his sudden appearance and his condition that troubled me.

His expression when he saw me at the door was not one of welcome... it was hostility, mixed with a tingle of fear.

He opened the door just a crack, blocking it with his own body.

(Hushed) Eliseo? How did you...?

Your address was on the registration documents. I apologize for the surprise visit, but I was concerned. Are you and your wife doing alright?

(Hushed) Yes, yes... I'm fine, as you can see. Maybe I shouldn't have talked to you yesterday... anyway, there's no need to worry about us.

(Hushed) It's a mess inside and we don't have anything for guests. Even the coffee beans are reused. I'm afraid we can't offer our hospitality...

At least let me say hello to your wife...

(Hushed) She's pregnant and the doctor says she needs rest. Go, Eliseo. Please.

I heard a familiar name, honey. Is it that old classmate of yours?

You should be in bed! Eliseo is... he's leaving. I'm just going to see him off. No, there's no need to come...

Hello, Eliseo! I'm Nadie. Julio talks about you a lot. We really appreciate what you've done to help us. Please, come in and have some coffee.

No...

That would be lovely, thank you.

I'll get the pot, honey.

You're the one who really needs rest. I'm not that weak.

I can help myself.

After a little bit of argument, Nadie brings out what little coffee they had left and poured me a cup. All they had in front of them was water. It was awkward, but the alternative was to let their kindness go to waste.

Julio speaks very highly of you. He thinks back to his middle school days when things aren't going well.

He always put himself on the line for others. I owe him a lot myself.

Yes, he does... speaking of which, I have to thank you for what you did to help us yesterday...

Ahem! I told Eliseo that we were expecting. That's why he came today.

Please don't interrupt me, dear. It's such an important thing, we ought express our gratitude properly.

For what?

That box of medicine you gave us.

I noticed the despair on Julio's face. He looked at me pleadingly.

Medicine...

It's nothing. Don't mention it.

Oh, come now, I know how big a deal a whole box of medicine can be. But it's true that we really needed it.

The baby isn't coming for another six months. We both want him or her to have a chance to meet Daddy.

If Julio gets proper treatment...

...It's getting late, Eliseo. I'll walk you to the station.

What is this box of medicine about? What about the six months?

Please, Eliseo...

What's going on, Julio?

(Buries face in hands and weeps) Do you really have to do this?

Julio...

Nadie's infected as well... we worked on the same production line and got infected in the same accident...

With the amount of money an Infected can make, we hardly have anything left after insurance premiums.