MEET

I'm Hector Medina, the manager of the apartment block.

I'm Gertrude Danson. Pleased to meet you, Hector.

What is your occupation? That's for my report.

I'm a nurse.

So, do you work in the hospital, then?

I can't tell you, Hector. State secrecy.

I saw your husband beating you.

This is none of your business, Hector, so please stay out of it. You know nothing, you won't understand, and I'm not going to tell you.

And the main thing, Hector: just forget what you saw, and never spy on state officials again.

But this is my duty.

Please, don't argue. I love my husband, he is an amazing man.

That's all you need to know about our family.

Your husband told me about his father and your job. Please, help me.

So, you know, then? Yes, I helped my dear father-in-law to survive the Blissful Sleep.

Yes, I work at the euthanasia center, and yes, I kill our citizens every day.

This makes me feel like a murderer, Hector. The guilt is unbearable, and I'm punishing myself by asking my husband to beat me.

That's the only way I can cope.

So, can you help me? Please, I don't want to die.

Hector, but you have nothing to worry about, you don't even look 80. What are you talking about?

That damn bureaucracy!

They made a mistake, so now everyone thinks I'm 85! And I already got the order to complete all of my unfinished business and go to the Euthanasia Center!

Hm. I see. I saw people way younger than 85 there… And had to put them all down.

Please, Gertrude! I beg you. You're not a ruthless killer.

Your life is hard, but you're a great person, Gertrude.

You have a big heart.

Okay, okay…

We'll help you.

I'll meet you at the center, and my husband will pick you up at the morgue and ship abroad. Make sure to have money on you.

Morgue?

I'll give you a shot of sleeping aid, you'll wake up in the morgue, and my husband will get you at night.

You have to trust us, Hector.

How do you like our merciless summer?

The parental advice of "dress in layers" works in any weather!

I know, right! Ever since we're kids, we hear tons of wise advice, but don't see their value.

Too often, wisdom of our parents is understood too late…

And vice versa, we retain some of the other words, even though we would've been better off forgetting.

When I was a kid, I loved singing. But mother told me it's not respectable to be a singer.

So, I went to the med school. I love music, but don't sing anymore.

I've heard they started financing healthcare more.

That's true, we finally have disposable gloves and needles. Alas, the needles become blunt too fast, and cause a lot of pain.

I've heard there is a conference of big shots in medicine…

Though this year, some tricksters occupied one of the sections, registered by deceit and are doing crazy things.

I laughed my head off after reading their theses.

Let me think… What do you think about the report on "Using motherland soil to treat blood diseases"?

Or this one, "Ten ways to use sagebrush for infant diseases". Then again, the official section has its awkward moments, too.

I.e., "Treating respiratory diseases with lye soap". The speaker's wife is the soap factory director, as far as I know.

That's impressive!

What's up?

My husband is dead!

It's horrible, he is… squished!

Something squished my husband!

You need to lay down…

What's up?

Bed bugs! There are bed bugs in our apartment!

Okay, Gertrude, I'll deal with it.

Can you exterminate them?