My Kidney is Now Yours
On the day Zachary Lake stands at the pinnacle of global technology, accepting his award, I'm lying in a hospital bed, abandoned by doctors because I can't afford treatment for kidney failure.
On TV, the host asks him to call the person he's most grateful for. Without hesitation, he dials my number.
"Shannon, do you regret leaving me?" he asks.
I clutch the astronomical medical bill in my hand, the paper crumpling beneath my fingers. Forcing a light tone, I reply, "Can you take me on as your kept woman now that you're a big deal?"
On screen, his face remains expressionless as he hangs up without a word. Then, his cold voice pierces through the broadcast. "Now, I have nothing to feel grateful for."
But what he doesn't know is that when he was on the brink of death years ago, I was the one who gave him my kidney.