At Auckland Hospital, there’s this sad moment when you and another adult turn right out of Lift Bank C on level 3 and start towards Starship. You have this, oh no, you too moment. I thought I at least had this last walk to collect my thoughts. Now you’re here. Stranger. Today I paced that long/short walk through the halls just instep with another lady. We gave each other a wide berth, hungry for the only personal space we’ve seen today. She looked about my age. She wore the sunken tired eyes of a woman who has cried too much and slept too little of late with dignity. Her back upright but her shoulders slumped. We avoided eye contact lest we see too much kindred pain. Both kept a gentle