Distorted, but Clear

A double exposure or some funky reflections distort a few of the faces in this shot. It's clear, however, that my Mom—on the far right—is quite happy here, as an intern. Contrast her expression in this image with the ones from her days as a lab tech.

Wyckoff Heights Hospital, Brooklyn, New York, 1952. My Mom eats with other interns and attendings. Despite the grueling schedule—Mom was on call, and required to be on-site, for a 72-hour shift, and then she was off for 24 hours—Mom loved this job. The hospital also provided free meals when physicians were on call. After lacking food during the war years, Mom indulged on the free hospital food. She initially gained about twenty pounds.