The Wrong Hospital Name - short story by Angela Lansbury
My name used to be Joan Baker but I changed it as fast as I could. Why the hurry? Firstly, I had known for a long time I was not the only Joan Baker. My post and emails would go all around the world and occasionally reach me years later. But the real killer was that I discovered on my way to the surgery in hospital that I was listed as Joan Barker. Did I protest? Of course I did! Wouldn't you? I tried to sit up and speak. But a kindly curly-haired nurse, smiled, "Don't worry, Mrs Barker, you will be fine." She was wrong. When I woke, I was not fine. I was in a ward with notes on the end of my bed saying Mrs Barker. I knew because every nurse and doctor who came in, smiled and said, "Hello, Mrs Barker." What did I reply? I could hardly speak, but I whispered, "I am not Mrs Barker." The nurse I had secretly nicknamed Miss Curly-hair smiled and nodded at the doctor and exchanged knowing looks with him. Several hours passed, days. Outside t...