As I drive slowly to St Patrick's hospital. My heart thumps mildly. I am trying to concentrate on my driving, but my mind keeps wandering to last week. Last week, Taye(my friend) and I went to the bar. I just won the contract for the road construction so I was still very excited. I ordered free drinks on the house. I drank to a stupor. I could not think any longer. I lazily got up to walk to my car, but I kept stumbling. Taye was drunk also, so we were both as useless as the "p" in psycho. I don't even know which direction Taye staggered to.
A pretty lady came to my aid as I was staggering aimlessly around the bar. I did not know what I was doing and I foolishly followed her into my car. My phone rang. I took a look at it, my wife was trying to call but I could not coordinate my senses to pick up, talk less about speaking. This pretty lady drove me to her house and honestly, I can hardly remember what happened next. All I realized is that when I regained full consciousness the next morning, I was only wearing my boxers. The pretty miss that rescued me from yester night was all dressed up and ready for work. A confused me asked her if anything happened between us and all I got was a smile. She told me she was off to work and that I should dress up also. She left her business card and my car keys on the sofa where I lay and took off.
My God! Am I dreaming? What have I done? Right there and then, I swore never to drink anymore. What explanation would I offer my wife? How the hell did I end up in this mess? What in the world happened last night? Those were the questions that flew through my head in random fashion. I practically flew out of pretty lady's home without even taking a blink at the card. I offered my wife one cock and bull story about having to pass the night at a friend's place. Though it was not convincing enough and I could tell that she was not buying my story. That was all I could offer anyway. Ever since the incident with pretty lady I have not had rest. Have I contracted HIV/AIDS or some other sexually transmitted disease? Are my days numbered? I don't even know what to think. I have been too much of a scared cat to go for a proper check up. This morning I decided to face my fear. I was going to have a complete check up. Here I am now in the doctor's office waiting anxiously for the results of the tests. He tells me that I don't have syphilis but my test for HIV turned out positive. My world had been turned upside down. What would I do?, what will I tell my wife? He starts to explain that this is not the end of the world and continues on with some other things. All his explanations fall on deaf ears. All I think about is my life, what will become of it. Shortly after a nurse comes and says "sir, I think I mixed up those results". Did I hear right? my innermost soul craved that what the nurse said be true. Luckily, it was. I was cleared. The positive HIV result belonged to another person. I had pity on that person though, I was grateful I was not the victim.
I don't know what happened that night, I don't know if I ever want to know. Maybe, nothing even happened. Maybe pretty miss just took care of me and gave me a place to sleep. Whatever it is, I don't want to know. All I know is that I don't want to have anything to do with those brown bottles any more.
