Who is who

“They say I need to write about my daily life, about my reasoning, my thoughts. How is it that a heart operation seems easier than filling in these pages. Objectivity is what I strive for yet has little place in journals”

- Written by the head doctor in charge at NYC medical centre

September 3rd, 2042

To Diary,

“Today was slow. The time dripping along like thick caramel. The day started with the usual, waking up at an obscene hour where the sun hadn’t even woken up from its own slumber. The drive to work was frustrating, cars packed along the roads like sardines. My coworker Margret was her usual bitchy self, apparently her mattress is too firm. I don’t know why she feels it’s my business to know. It seems today a lot of people decided to try new things. One client broke her arm from roller skating down a hill. Another was an elderly man who decided today was the day to relive his war days by paint balling. He ended up breaking both ankles falling into a ditch. Don’t ask me how that happened. There were two surgeries scheduled. A lady with bad varicose veins, I had to pull the bad ones out like spaghetti out of a bowl. The other was more complex, a burst appendix. The boy looked to be 14, extreme pain by the way his face seemed to twist into a swirl. His body contorted, limbs shaking. Both surgeries went smoothly with little complication.

**- David **

September 3rd, 2042

Dear Diary,

“I’m learning more and more. My therapist said i have a solid chance of securing this job. I hope so. I am after all made for this. That’s what i believe. Today, i saw the other doctor, David, the one I’m competing against for this job. He seems very capable. He goes from one patient to the other smoothly. If I didn’t know it, i would assume he is one of us. Today was difficult. It seems humanity shares the same brain. Some days there’s hardly anyone in the hospital. Other days, it seems a never ending line of people bustling through the sliding doors with some kind of pain. I helped David as the assisting doctor in the operations room for the boys burst appendix. What a horrible injury. It’s difficult for me not to weigh the odds of failure every time I go into that room. But i need to keep trying. Keep focusing on the present and not the possibilities. My new apartment in the city is very spacious. The relocation seemed too quick in my eyes. I keep waking up expecting to be in Chicago, only to look out and see the sky rises of New York City. What a life. Residing in the emergency room is no easy feat. I know there’s a high turnover in this field. We get rundown, overworked. The body starts to deteriorate, overheat with the chaotic and complex tasks. Our wiring can quickly short cut. That’s when panic attacks occur. What can I say though. Some part of me thrives on it. I just have to stop thinking about the fact i need to prove myself. Stop dwelling on the possibility that David may get this job. And then what would happen to me - no- i cant think about it. I won’t. Tomorrow is a new day.

- **Henry**

September 10th 2042

To Diary,

It’s week two of this trial period. I think i may have a good chance at keeping this job. The head of the medical board seems to love me, and I’m winning over people easily. Even the annoying Margret. The other day she said she “slept like a rock”.

What the fuck does that mean.

Today a teenaged boy with red dots all over his face limped through the doors with his mother clutching onto his arm trying to help him. It seemed the boy had badly injured his ankle during a basketball game. The finals. How tragic. While i was assessing him, the mother peppered me with questions. Whether i have any kids. Why i don’t have any kids. She seemed bewildered at the fact i had no plans on having children. That my work was my priority. Her reaction was unwarranted. Unwanted. Towards the end of my twelve hour shift there was a rush of young injured kids who seemed to have been involved in some sort of accident. A miniature school bus collided with another car during a field trip. The other doctor Henry helped me treat the five children who were suffering from injuries the nurses couldn’t attend to. It’s hard to get a read on Henry. The fact we are both fighting for the same job has developed resentment no doubt. I hate to say it, but i think it’s becoming clear I have a better chance. The medical board did highlight the disparity in AI staff and humans. At the beginning of 2042 the medical universities rolled out a campaign to encourage more humans to study the field. They don’t want to rely solely on AI.

Yet I think everyone is in denial, that at this rate that’s exactly what this world will be doing. It’s inevitable.

**David **

September 10th 2042

Dear Diary,

I don’t like David and his unmoving gelled back black hair. He’s here to take my job, and i can’t let that happen. My whole life is now in New York. Today got on my already fried nerves. The teacher who accompanied the large group of injured young students from the bus accident said something about needing to wake up tomorrow with the roosters. David asked why she’s sleeping with birds. It made the lady laugh. Why do people find the most ridiculous things humorous. As i listened to this stupid David flirt with the teacher, i ran into this poor adult in a wheelchair who's in dire need of a kidney transplant apparently. The last couple of hours, I was in the operations room with David. His looming presence a sickly shadow. The surgery was long. Removal of a tumour close to the spine and another in her stomach. Luckily the cancer hadn’t spread to any other part of the body. But she will definitely have some long term movement difficulties in the long run. The tumour was so intertwined….I can’t even put to words the severity in the complexities of the surgery. It’s amazing how fragile humans can be. The head of the medical board parting words during the interview keep ringing in my head. He said “we don’t simply hand over jobs, you have to fight for it”. But i don’t know how else to prove that I’m the best person for this job. Hopefully my success in leading this surgery will highlight my competence. I can’t go back to Chicago. I simply can’t.

**Henry**

September 14th 2042

To Diary,

It’s Wednesday, which means in two days I’ll either have the job or this Henry person will. I need to pick the best time to show I’ll fight for this job if i have to. That’s what the big boss man said. To fight for it. I just need to find the best opportunity. The count down is on. I need this job. It’s my purpose. I won’t let humanity go a-wire. This is my time to prove it.

**David**

September 14th 2042

Dear Diary,

Something strange happened today. David approached me during a quiet lull at the hospital. He tried to strike up conversation. He’s asked whether i wanted to go out for drinks tomorrow night after our shift, to celebrate our near end to this two week fight for this job. I said I don’t drink. He said dinner then. He seemed persistent. How odd. I don’t particularly like socialising. But maybe i can sway him into stepping back from this role. Perhaps convince him that this hospital is not the best fit for him. It’s worth a try after all.

**Henry**

September 15th 2042

To Diary,

So tragic. Henry had a bad aneurysm and wound up in the hospital. Complete brain shut down. Who knew a fist fight could result in such a thing. I visited him during my brief lunch break. He’s in a coma. I have concluded that the chances of him waking up are rather low. He doesn’t seem to have any family, therefore the decision on whether to take him off life support will be granted to a government issued officer who will make the decision on Henry’s behalf. What can I say. I fought for this job as instructed. I clearly won. It’s better for humanity anyway.

I won’t make silly mistakes like running into people or waste time on lost cases when my time could be better spent on someone i could actually help. Like the middle aged lady with the spinal tumour for example, despite a semi successful surgery her chance of a long life was low. Her bloodwork came back a perfect match for a patient who needed a kidney. A quick reschedule for another surgery for the lady, a cut and removal….. I could easily arrange a kidney transplant. To think of all the great things I could do at this at this hospital, now that I’m officially the new doctor at NYC medical centre. Another humanoid amongst the humans.

**David**