"The body is that of a young girl in her late teens. She was accident- ally killed by an injection of air into the vein. A nurse under the in- fluence of drugs gave her a shot for influenza and she died. The hos- pital had our request for a small body with a small skull and offered this one after getting a release from her parents. They don't know the ramifications, but they have donated their daughter's body, if you'll accept it.
"We will give them sufficient money to live on, since it was their only child and they were so unselfish. But what about it, Barry? Would you want to tell Julie and then between the two of you, decide?”
I looked him in the eyes, and said. "I think that's best, sir. We were engaged to be married."
He took up his phone and I overheard him tell his secretary, who answered: "Get Miss Julie Langsdon on the telephone please. You have her number at work!"
In just a few moments, he handed the receiver to me and I heard Julie's voice for the first time in over a year. "Barry. Is this really you? Is this Barry?"
I swallowed a lump in my throat that almost choked me, at the sound of her voice, and said: "Yes, Julie. It's Barry." Sounds of weeping came to my ear and my own tears were dripping down my nose and onto the mouthpiece.
"How are you Barry?" she asked hesitantly, as if she knew that I was deathly sick. "Honey, it's pretty bad," I admitted. "I've contracted a disease that we don't have a cure for."
"I want to see you,” she demanded. "They have no right to keep me from seeing you. I've been here since you landed and they won't let me know anything. I have called every day. Barry, I'm about to go out of my mind. I must see you." She was frantic. I motioned to Mr. Bishop to pick up the other extension on his desk and as he punched the button that connected him to our line, Julie said: "Did you hear me, Barry? I must see you. I don't care what's wrong. It doesn't matter how bad you look, or if it's contagious. I love you, and I must see you darling."
"I want to see you Julie," I answered truthfully, "But you don't need to see me in the condition I am in.”
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