After the news, the subject was breast cancer. For days they discussed breast cancer. They had “specials” on breast cancer. It seemed everyone had cancer. Not just old women, or middle-aged women, but young women, too. The women were Emma’s age. At the end of the week she was convinced she, too, had breast cancer. She promised herself she would see her doctor. She would go right after Christmas—if she lived that long!
At night TV was no better. Again there was a special on cancer. Then there was a special on AIDS. AIDS struck fear in everyone. Emma worried about AIDS too. She worried about all the people with AIDS. She became more depressed every day.