The Confession

He walked into the office, his head was down and he lacked the joy normally found in his movements.

"You know when I told the doctor thought I had some stomach problems?"

"Yes," I said remembering that I had encouraged him to seek care after seeing him doubled over in pain.

"Well, he paused, I got HIV."

"Wow." That's all I could say, wow, it seemed so inappropriate yet it was the only word my mouth could pronounce.

"You been a good counselor, I just wanted you to know."

"Okay, so what do you do now."

"Well I'm gonna get me some beers and smoke some joints and take these vir drugs."

"Excuse me, you have a problem with alcohol. Why are you going back there."

"Man I got to escape. I told my peoples and they looked at me funny. They said they would support me and s**t but still they was lookin at me. I could feel them askin 'How'd he get that s**t?'"

"Damn how am I going to tell old girl, I been f**kin? She gonna lose her mind."

"Hold up, you were f**kin a stranger you picked up in grocery store without protection?"

"She was an ole b**ch. She looked clean the house was clean so I said f**k it."

"When are you going to tell her?"

"Right now she thinks I am in Miami, but my mama says she calls everyday."

"Wow."

"What's up with you and this wow s**t."

"Damn, life is funny. Some old chick hooks up with you at the Park and Shop and starts thinkin her ass is Angela Bassett and you Taye Diggs and y'all starring in the low budget bootleg version of How Stella Got Her Groove On."

"Yeah ain't that some s**t."

"Now just like Terry Stupid Ass McMillian she gonna find out that she got more than her ass bargained for."

"Wait a f**kin minute man, I ain't no fag."

"That's not what I mean. Here is a 53 year old woman who got happy when a 30 year old man gives her the time of day and she gives him her goodies, not thinkin bout the consequences just livin in the moment."

"Damn that hoe loved her sum of this."

"You need to tell her."

"Yeah."

"Wow."