Reginald was pleased when the doctor poked his head out of the door leading to the waiting room. “Reginald? I’ll see you now.”

Reginald had just finished his insurance paper work and handed it to the nurse who didn’t look up from the keyboard she was absorbed in. “Have a seat,” she spoke in a monotone practiced voice. “The doctor will call you when they’re ready.” Reginald didn’t think she even knew she was speaking words, the speech was so rote.

“Kids,” he thought. “Would a little customer service and a smile kill her?” he wiped his head with a handkerchief. He knew the air conditioning should be on, but he couldn’t stop sweating.

So when the door opened and the doctor called his name before Reginald even had a chance to sit down… things were looking up. “I’m doctor Collins,” the tall man said to Reginald as they walked to the examination room. Flipping through the documents he said, “It looks like you’re here for a routine physical?” He opened the door to the exam room and motioned for Reginald to enter.

“That’s right, yes. Look, I don’t want to sound ungrateful,” he started, “But where’s doctor Cunningham? I was supposed to see doctor Cunningham. I’ve seen doctor Cunningham for years.”

Doctor Collins flashed him an empathetic smile that Reginald felt was genuine. “We’re swamped back here right now. I’m filling in for some of the routine appointments so he can focus on the more serious cases.”

“Oh,” Reginald said, “I guess that’s okay. I mean, I heard this younger generation doesn’t want to work after the whole pandemic thing. Would rather collect unemployment…”

“Well,” Doctor Collins said, “I wouldn’t know anything about that. We actually lost some really great folks to COVID.”

“Oh… I’m sorry to hear that…” Reginald stammered.

“It’s been rough but we’re making due. Anyway,” he looked at the clipboard with Reginald’s paperwork on it, “it looks like nothing significant has changed since you were in last year…”

“No, but I’ve been having really bad acid reflux all week, no matter what I eat or don’t eat. Just recently I’ve been having tingling in my left hand…”

“I could tell when you walked in that there was a problem,” Doctor Collins said when a knock came at the door.

The nurse knocking didn’t wait for a response and opened the door. “Sir,” she said to Reginald, “You aren’t supposed to be back here. Doctor Cunningham will get you when he’s ready…”

“But, Doctor Collins here–”

“Is this a joke? Doctor Collins died last year from Covid.”

Reginald went pale and started hyperventilating as he turned to look at Doctor Collins.

“She’s right,” Doctor Collins said.

The nurse turned to Doctor Collins and let out an ear-piercing scream. Doctor Collins smiled and disappeared as Reginald fell back on the table unconscious.

“Your husband was suffering from what we call slow-onset myocardial infarction,” Doctor Cunningham explained to Reginald’s wife. “Fortunately, for some reason he was already in the room with the newest defibrillator and the nurse was able to administer treatment immediately. It’s the only reason he’s alive.”