submitted by Fatima Lasay

Love in Time of AIDS Bishop Wong steps out of the hospital and into the waiting limo. Inside he  asks the chauffeur for a bottle of disinfectant and proceeds to washing his  hands with it until the skin turns pink. "Oh, please, Lordship, you don't catch it that way," Dr. Rees mutters  beside him, apparently annoyed by the overwhelming smell of alcohol. "You realize how many AIDS patients are in there?" Bishop Wong's voice  quivers, "You'd think the whole district is in there! The place is cramped,  people practically sleeping over each other, conditions are terrible,  everyone is hungry! Each day the incoming sick race in number with the  dead! What is happening to our country?" "Shouldn't you be asking Him?" Dr. Rees chuckles, "I don't ask any  questions myself because I don't care about any answers. I'm seventy-seix  years old and I'm trying to live out the last few years of my life with as  little worries and cares possible. It's nearly twelve o'clock, care for  some lunch at Le Pendu?" His Lordship tosses the bottle to the front seat, "Take us to le Pendu,  Miguel," he hands the chaffeur some money, "You can have your lunch at the  eatery across the street." They take the table beside the huge glass windows and order half a bottle  of red wine. Bishop Wong looks outside and sees Miguel crossing the street. "Do you suppose he could be HIV positive?" His Lordship asks, "Do you  suppose he could get it eating in those places?" "You know what could be worse? He probably has hepatitis A," Dr. Rees looks  over the menu, "I'll have the seared scallop with foie gras and the lamb  herb de provence. But at least you don't get it by giving Miguel head." The waiter turns to Bishop Wong, "Your order, Lordship?" "The melanzane provolone and that is all." The waiter darts off and Dr. Rees tells the Bishop, "You can suspect him as  well as you can suspect me." "My uncle and teenage niece are vistims of this pestilence, doctor, a  pestilence that can fall on anyone. Including me." In minutes, the waiter returns with their delectable orders. "You mentioned earlier, Dr. Rees, that you wanted to be free of any worries  or cares at the end of your full and lusty life. Let me ask you, where were  you ten years ago when only a handful of our people were afflicted with  this dreadful disease?" "Ten years ago I believe I was at the height of my career assisting the  secretary of the Health Department. Our AIDS Awareness Campaign was just  given a grant by the government. You and the secretary had quite a  wrangling over that grant." "It was a lot of money, doctor, money that could have been given to AIDS  research," Bishop Wong empties his glass and pours himself another, "And  the cleaning up of our hospitals. So, where is the good secretary now." "You can unleash your earlier suspicions now, Lordship." "Incredible twist of fate!" he exclaims. "Fate indeed. And you were right about cleaning up our hospitals. Didn't  cross my mind then, ten years ago we were too busy cleaning up our brothels." Lamb deliciously passes against the good doctor's palate and he smiles  radiantly with gustatory satisfaction, "These simple pleasure can never  replace the profits of my career." "But I vomited the ideas of your campaign, Dr. Rees," His Lordship uttered  betweeb melanzane provlone and gritting teeth, "I remember you employed a  popular young actor to appear over national television, five times each  day, just to say 'I use a condom whenever I have sex.' You confuse birth  control with AIDS education as well as you confide AIDS education with  casual sex. You realize millions of young people heard sex and not AIDS or  condom in that commercial?" "Two years later that became quite apparent I admit. We live in very  decadent times." "And I especially abominate the time when AIDS became a fad, a publicity  gimmick, at worst a status symbol. In street markets you hear people go,  'You have AIDS, wow, shouldn't you be on TV working for the government?'  Did you ever stop to think about what that meant, doctor? God, look at our  country now. Could there still be love in time of AIDS?" "The former secretary could be breathing his last this very minute. Don't  vent your anger out on me, Lordship." "Not on you or the dying. Then who?" "Maybe yourself," it is something Dr. Rees did not want to say, "For not  trying hard enough." Bishop Wong does not touch half his meal. He looks outside and sees Miguel  heading back to the limo. He waits quietly for Dr. Rees to savor the last  of his lamb and let out a gentle burp of pleasure. --- From a manuscript written in 1994.