World AIDS Day

Today is World AIDS Day which, oddly, isnt something I think about very often. My volunteer work at the AIDS clinic has become sort of routine (if that can be seen in a good way). I stopped seeing the people there as 'AIDS cases' long ago and have come to know them all as individuals. The fact that they are all dealing with the same disease rarely crosses my mind and Im glad for it as they seem tired of the constant reminders.

But in a bigger way, AIDS has really changed my life. My aunt Rafaella (Rae-Rae to me) died of AIDS when I was 13. Apparently she had been sick with it for quite some time, but I remember being told all sorts of excuses - that she had the flu, that she had to cut her hair short because it was fashionable, that she was weak all the time because she was just too busy. At 13 I was just on the edge of really understanding what was going on. My aunt was rowdy, loud, vivacious, independent and completely lovable. I wanted to be her when I grew up. She lived in NYC and was always sending me the most trendy new things. I still have my bottle of strawberry Hello Kitty perfume. When her disease advanced I watched her turn into a weakened, thin frame. A still vivacious, witty spirit trapped in a dying shell.

The last thing she said to me was that she couldnt believe I bought her the new pull-and-peel licorice over the classic Twizzlers. Then she laughed, gave me a wink, and feigned interest in eating the candy for my sake. She died the next day.