Content Warning: This section includes discussions of alcoholism and addiction, suicidal ideation, political violence, terminal illness, death, and racism.

In 2015 at Keady University in Indiana, Cyrus Shams lies on a urine-soaked mattress begging for a sign of God’s existence. He promises that if the lightbulb above him turns on and off, he will “start over” and begin the process of recovery from addiction. To his surprise, the light does flicker. Unbelieving, he asks God to repeat the sign, but nothing happens. He now faces the difficult decision of whether or not to keep his promise.

In 2017, two years into the process of recovery and sobriety, Cyrus is still studying and working at Keady. He has a job as a medical actor at the University Hospital, pretending to be either a patient or family of a patient for medical students learning proper bedside manner. Each shift, he is assigned a new identity and backstory and acts as that character for a mock medical appointment. Cyrus loves the job but had hoped that his best friend and lover, Zee, would join him. Zee worries that the job is particularly unhealthy for Cyrus as he continues his recovery.