Chapter 4 — Call 1

— Yes, Martin speaking.

— Good afternoon, my name is Maja Lindhardt, I'm calling from the National Screening Biobank regarding the consent renewal. I'm sorry to disturb you. I'm calling because in connection with the mailing we've identified a possible register error, which we're in the process of clarifying, and I need to verify a single piece of information.

— Okay? Sure. Hang on two seconds. (muffled) Dad is coming NOW, get in and put your belt on. (pause) Sorry. What was the information?

— Can you confirm that you are Martin Aagaard Jensen, born the eighth of May 1987?

— I don't think there's any getting round that.

— Thank you. And you live at the address we sent to, in Hillerød?

— Yes? Is there something wrong with the letter? I don't actually think we got one.

— That's precisely what this is about. The letter has come back to us. It's been marked with a code that means... (pause) ...that indicates the recipient is deceased.

(pause)

— Deceased? I'm standing here making packed lunches.

— It's obviously an error in our register, and I'd like to stress that it has no bearing on your civil registration or — it's purely internal to us, and —

— Hang on. Am I dead inside your system?

— There's a status code that incorrectly indicates it, yes.

— (laughs) Then you'd better get that fixed. The wife might decide you're right. (muffled) YES, I'm COMING. (pause) Sorry, I have to drive, she's got gymnastics. Was that everything?

— That was everything. Thank you for your help, and again, sorry to disturb you.

— No problem at all. And say hi from the dead, yeah?

(call ended)

She sits for a long time with the phone in her hand.