That was quite good.
I am going to admit the first words I asked my only openly HIV positive friend were "What are you doing here?"
It is only due to his great sense of humour, we became friends.
We were in second year university and he was talking about going to the clinic and I am there like what clinic. That's the real bother about having a chronic disease you spend a lot of time at doctor's.
Anyway S took a double take when I asked the question and so I explained "I don't mean why do you exist, I mean what are you doing here, bothering with all this, why are you in university" And in my little head I am thinking what a waste of resources - to educate someone who is dying.
Well S taught me. We are all dying. Every one of us.
And how can you deny a bright young person of any sexual persuasion the opportunity to broaden their mind.
HIV doesn't kill in months like in the play, but in years. Some people are even living over 20 years with the drugs we have now.
So after you spend some time moping and waiting for death to come take you, you might as well use your remaining time doing something productive.
I have since lost touch with S. But I hope..NO I KNOW he is out there touching other people the way he touched me.
Thank you S. I am a better person for having known you.
Altamer
4 months ago
1 comment:
People like to think its an immediate death sentence, but it isn't. I knew people who had it for over 20 years and are probably still alive today.
Its like diabetes, my mother once showed me a man who when he learned that he had diabetes immediately quit his job because he thought it meant death. That was in the 70s I don't know what it was like back then but apparently he was scared. Its 2008 and he seems fine.
We all live until we die, why not make the best of it.
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