AIDS DAY

                                    TODAY WOULD HAVE BEEN MY YOUNGER BROTHER'S 49TH BIRTHDAY.  HE DIED OF AIDS WHEN HE WAS 38 ALONE IN FLORIDA.  HE WAS AT ST. ANTHONY'S HOSPITAL IN ST. PETERSBURG.  ACTUALLY I HELD HIS HAND UNTIL HE DIED.  HE WASN'T CONSCIOUS.  I SAID THE LORD IS MY SHEPHARD 23RD PSALM AT HIS BEDSIDE AND THEN WENT FOR A CUP OF COFFEE.  WHEN I RETURNED, THE NURSE TOLD ME HE WAS DEAD.  I CRIED LIKE A FOOL AT HIS FUNERAL READING THE 23RD PSALM.
                                    MY MOTHER WAS WITH MY BROTHER UNTIL THE LAST MONTH.  THE AIDS HAD ATTACKED HIS BRAIN.  HE HAD GONE BLIND IN ONE EYE.  HE WAS ACTING VERY CRAZY.  WE HAD HER LEAVE FLORIDA.  I THINK A FRIEND WAS GOING TO LOOK OUT FOR HIM.  BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT EVER HAPPENED.  I GUESS THE FRIEND GO HIM INTO ST. ANTHONY'S HOSPITAL.  ANYWAY I FLEW DOWN FROM NEW YORK AND WAS WITH HIM BEFORE HE DIED.  NO ONE ELSE WAS THERE.

                                       SOMETIMES OVER THE YEARS, I WOULD SAY HE DIED OF CANCER.  I NEVER DISCUSSED IT AT MY JOB.  THEY WERE NOT HE KIND OF PEOPLE YOU COULD TRUST.  AIDS WAS VERY TABOO BACK THEN.  KIND OF A MYSTERY STILL.  A FEW YEARS LATER, MEDICINES WERE DEVELOPED THAT COULD ARREST THE DISEASE KIND OF LIKE INSULIN DOES FOR DIABETES.
                                     ROCK HUDSON DIED OF AIDS AND ARTHUR ASHE TOO.  ELIZABETH TAYLOR WHO JUST DIED OF CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE AT 79 DID ALOT FOR THE AIDS CAUSE.   NOW AIDS IS MAINLY OF CONCERN IN AFRICA WHERE PEOPLE DIE LEFT AND RIGHT BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO MEDICINE.  

MAGNIFICENT MCDOWELL

                                        YOU ARE ONLY AS SICK AS YOUR SECRETS-WHO AM I HIDING FROM?