“Oh well, I’m not surprised to see the scheduling mix-up. I was off sick and we had a temp in here last week. I’m still trying to fix things. I’ll call Dr. Blythe and see what I can do. Oliver spoke so highly of you that I know Dr. Blythe will be happy to meet with you today.” Betty picked up the phone. “This should only take a few minutes.”

Val felt her stomach nervously flip. She did call last week to inquire about the status of her application for the job, so that would explain the scheduling error by this incompetent temp. But who was the person who spoke so highly of her? She didn’t know any Oliver. She was so deep in thought she jumped when Betty spoke.

“So, I heard you met Oliver when he was in Rochester. He was such a great man. I can’t believe he’s gone. It just goes to show you never know when your time’s going to be up,” Betty said, dropping the phone down a little from her ear. “Anyway, with Oliver’s glowing recommendation, Dr. Blythe will be relieved to have you start. Things have just been so hectic around here.”

Met Oliver in Rochester? Glowing recommendation? Relieved to have me start?

Suddenly it all became painfully clear. Betty thought she was someone else. This job belonged to someone else. Her own interview was probably a courtesy interview to satisfy human resources and state hiring guidelines—in other words, a waste of time for anyone not promised a job internally or “on the side.”

In an instant, all hope disintegrated. Val became lost, overwhelmed by circumstances beyond her control. Her life was falling apart, the last bits shattering and falling in a chaotic heap as she stood in the front office of the county morgue. She was broke, and without the promise of a pay check soon, she was about to become homeless too.

Val didn’t say a word. She couldn’t. The room felt like it was swirling and she was about to fall over.

Betty just stared, her eyes wide. Then her expression seemed to turn sympathetic. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. I thought you knew Oliver had died.”

Betty’s voice sounded far away. Val managed to answer, confused. “Died?”

“It was an aneurism. He went so suddenly.”

Val felt outside of herself with no control over her own faculties, and then without realizing what she was doing, said, “So Oliver had good things to say about me?” As the words left her mouth, she couldn’t believe the outright lie she’d just told. But hopeless situations call for desperate behavior. Survival instinct forced her to focus.

Betty smiled and placed her hand on Val’s shoulder. “Yes, he said Gwen Carmondy was one of the best.”