strange hippie groups you’ve gotten yourself involved in, nor why you
didn’t call us for five months…”
“Or why you’ve gotten yourself in massive debt with your credit
cards,” my father interjected.
“But we’re just glad you’re O.K,” Mom gushed, giving me a
sloppy kiss. “Jake Sr. and I were so happy to finally find out where
you were, and we were so worried about your condition that we flew
out to India just to be with you.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I said. “Thanks, Dad.”
“Don’t mention it, honey,” my mother smiled. “Hey—you got
some mail while you were gone. Maybe you’d like to read it while
we’re gone on our tour of Indi—ow!”
My father had apparently pinched her on the arm. He was
glaring at her.
“Oh, honey, I’m sorry. We figured we took off work anyways and
got a sitter for Jesse, and your chances looked really good—they said
you would probably wake up today. Of course we wouldn’t have gone
if there had been a problem. You understand, right?” I nodded. She
winked at me, “You just know how I love meeting people from other
cultures!”
I nodded and we said our good-byes. They did seem genuinely
reluctant to leave. On the way out, my mother yelled at a small Indian
man who was carrying her bags. “Be careful with that! That happens
to be a very expensive set of designer luggage! I don’t want to see you
dragging it in the dirt when we get outside!” She turned back one
more time and waved to me.
Once they had left, the doctor turned to me and smiled. “Whew,
I thought they would never leave. Thank you so much for finally
waking up.”
I laughed, ] then grew somber. I could bear the weight of my
secret no longer. “Doctor, there’s something I’d like to talk to you
about,” I confessed. He frowned gravely and pulled up a chair.
“What is troubling you my friend?” he said. I looked at the badge
on his lapel and noticed that is said “Dr. Tannu.”
“Doctor Tannu,” I began, “I wanted to ask you about the HIV
virus.”
“Yes, what is it you would like to know?”
“How long does someone have to live once they have been
infected?”
“Oh, that is a difficult question to answer. With all the research
BIG AMERICAN BREAKFAST
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