“Explain it again,” she said, looking up at me with those pale green eyes unique to our family. “Please.”
“The physician and the surgeon will make me comfortable first.”
“How will they do that?”
I smiled. “They have special physic. After this, they will take me into the operating theater where they will take out my bad liver and replace it with a good one.”
“Where do they get the good one?”
“From one of the Unfortunate.”
“Don’t they need their livers?”
“Well, yes. But the money the family receives helps everyone.”
“And then they’ll be part of you forever!”
Well, that’s a comfort then! Unfortunate by name, and unfortunate by nature
Disturbing – either as a look at an illegal practice that happens today, or perhaps a glimpse at health care in the future.
I was reading an Elmore Leonard novel about a couple who steals kidneys from people and then sells them back. I also watched John Oliver playing a recording of a man telling a woman to sell plasma to pay her debts. This is a combination, I guess! Thanks for stopping by.
I really like the Yin and Yang between this and the alter-ego’s story. Yikes, it does seem like society is headed this way…
Alter-ego? I have no idea what you’re talking about! ;-)
Yep, those two part stories are a mighty coincidence ;)
Horrifying, and not too far from the truth. Your writing makes it completely believable.
This has a nice dystopian feel. Unfortunately much of this is going on already. We are a horrible species…
Oh, that sent shivers up my spine at the very thought of organ harvesting as a trade. Ugh! Gulp! Very, very disturbing… and I fear in some places maybe even true.
I like the rationalizations in here. Great story.
Thanks!
Echoing the comments above. Disturbing. Interesting rationalization. Sounds like a very stratified society, with the fortunate and the unfortunate divided into some kind of castes. The horrors of a society where life has varying degrees of worth.
A pretty grim scene – especially the casual acceptance of this practice.
This seems to be set in the future with the Unfortunates an official underclass ripe for exploitation. Maybe 2020, or is that too soon?
Everything has its price, which is horrible and terrifying. Good story.
Really well done, in such a matter of fact voice.
Ironic that I’m bingeing on “Justified” and one of the characters had his kidneys cut out to be sold… He was most unfortunate.
Yeah that’s from an Elmore Leonard novel Raylan. I’ve been reading it lately. Glad you liked it.
Raylan Givens is the name of the Deputy Marshall in “Justified”!
I really do like it (and the flip-side story, as well) ;)
You should check out the books. Leonard is a great writer
D’oh! How dumb am I?
I didn’t realise the book is based on the series that was based on a short story… (had to check with da Google)
Yeah, the books came first. He wrote two or three.
Definitely will check them out. I actually prefer reading the books after the movie or show. I’m always in for a treat whereas the opposite, my expectations are too high and I end up disappointed.
Unfortunate liver donor can be someone dying of other ailment and liver matches. Since there is only one liver, I doubt anyone, no matter how unfortunate, will donate a the whole liver. May be a part of it. Liver has the ability to regenerate.
Very thought-provoking material, and the dialogue is a good way to explore the issues of the topic. What a sad reality it represents.
Oh the line Don’t they need their livers says so much.