World AIDS Day

What was it like then, when AIDS was still new? Because I remember a world where AIDS didn’t exist, and remember how it crept up on us.

I remember the news clips from the beginning- people evicted because of this new disease. New York City was one of the first boiling points, before the disease had a name or a virus attached. People were dying, and people were afraid.

I remember Rock Hudson and Doris Day, in the days before he died. He confessed his secret life to the nation, the world, and suddenly the gates were opened.

But mostly I remember Woody. The first person I ever knew who died from AIDS.

A neighborhood boy I had known all my life. Dark hair, mustache, and a deep tan- handsome even though he was short as guys go. He was Meat-man’s best friend. When I was nine, they taught me to play poker on the stoop in front of Meat-man’s house. I remember how special it felt for these grown up boys to teach me how to play.

I remember his name tagged on the mailbox and the side of a building. That was what they all did, back in the day.

I remember when they shaved off half Woody’s mustache when he was sleeping. How everyone laughed at his outrage. How young he looked without it. And they laughed even harder when he complained he had an interview the next day.

My little sister had a huge crush on him. She took pictures of him on the garage roof, getting ready to jump in the neighbors’ pool. How crazy and reckless and so fun to watch.

He dated one of the girls from next door. How she loved him. But it didn’t work out.

He joined the military, married, had a baby boy, and I stopped seeing him around the neighborhood.

My older sister was the one who told me. “Woody has AIDS” By then, Woody was dying.

Disbelief- shock- pain… How could the crazy brave teenager who jumped in the pool from the roof of the garage be dying?

And everyone was afraid. It was 1990 and everyone was terrified. My heart broke for his family.

Then when he passed away, there was a closed coffin, as they would not embalm him.

Woody was gone. And now we all knew what AIDS could do.