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I like that about Eddie He can be real and honest Most of my friends are honest It’s a trait I look for in friends If you’re dishonest, then beat it Who needs you, right?

Anyway, Eddie is growing a goatee and I see a tattoo hiding under his short sleeve I wonder about both, especially the tattoo I try to grasp its : two vertical lines topped with a horizontal one, kind of like a capital T but the two lines make it plain it is a symbol of some sort The horizontal top is curved a little Maybe it’s his naure Eddie is going through sooatee

“You don’t have to say anything”

“Look, I’ friend”

“No,” I say He doesn’t need to be down on himself His reaction is normal, after all I didn’t expect any more, or any less “You’re not an asshole”

Numi makes the srees with nore Numi

Eddie doesn’t notice He says, “A friend of ood friend of mine is…”

“Dying,” I say

“Yeah, that And I don’t even have the balls to see him”

“You do have little balls,” I say It is part of our hu, his balls are suys do Simple creatures we are

But Eddie isn’t up toI’y He says, “Ho did this happen?”

“How did I get AIDS?”

He nods and shrugs a little Eventhe word makes him clearly uncomfortable More so, I see that he’s eht have overheard us Nu He sees Eddie’s embarrassment and frowns even more

“I had a steady girl,” I say “She had it and didn’t know it A feeeks into our little relationship, the condom came off and never went back on We saw each other on and off for a few months Months that were filled with lots of sex She had some random blood work done, and the results came back She had it, and now I have it, too”

Eddie turns a little pale I avoid using the word “AIDS” for his benefit He says, “But I thought, you know, guys didn’t really get it froirls”

“Not common, certainly, but there are times when it’s not safe to have sex with a woman”

He nods “Her period”

I nod “Bingo”