Lost/Madrid Letter

Signor Hanso,

It occurs to me, at this point, I am attempting to correspond with a phantom. Had I not personally
attended to you three months prior, I, too, would doubt your existence -- the worldwide promi-
nence of your name notwithstanding.

The letters I sent to your business address were returned with notes explaining your office does not
accept unsolicited correspondence. The follow-up I sent to your
Narvik Villa was returned with a postal mark claiming "no such addressee." I feel compelled,
however, to attempt a final letter -- I hired an investigator to track you down. It is not that I do not
respect your personal desire for privacy, S. Hanso; it is that your condition gives me cause for con-
cern.

You will, no doubt, recall you were admitted after collapsing with a myocardial infection while in
Madrid. You were admitted, in a state of mild delirium, by the staff of the hotel in which you were
a guest (though the hotel later claimed to have no record of your stay).

At the point which I began treating you, you demanded no blood be drawn. Several hours later,
you requested I release you into the care of your personal physician, who had that moment arrived
with your staff. Against my streneous recommendation, you had yourself discharged.

The reason I write is to explain why, against your wishes, I did, in fact, draw your blood. At the
time, I believed it prudent to obtain all information. Your disorientation allowed me to obtain the
sample and seemed proof of your incapacity.

But now, the results of your blood test have prompted me to embark on this wild goose chase. It is
imperative I reach you -- your test results are most unusual, and I have reason for concern you
may suffer a serious, even fatal, heart attack in the near future.

Futile as it seems, S. Hanso, I feel bound by the oath I took as a physician to inform you of your
circumstance. And, further (please forgive the personal nature of this confession), I fee as though
something is amiss. On more than one occasion, gentlemen have made inquiries into your hospital
stay. It seems your Madrid episode is among only a handful of times, in recent years, that you
have made documented contact with the world at large. And while I anticipate that this letter, too,
will be returned unopened, I feel you are owed at least the effort of my attempt.

Hoping this finds you (well),

Eliza Vasquez, M.D.