Friday, February 19, 1993, 8:45am
This story started a couple of weeks prior. At the time, I had Kaiser Permanente for my medical and dental insurance through work. I'd had my teeth cleaned at the South Salem Kaiser office, and the rather young dental hygienist remarked that she had never seen thrush in men except when they are HIV positive. I asked her to repeat herself, which she did. I was floored. I'd been tested over the years every year, although hadn't gone in for a test for a couple of years, as I hadn't been involved with anyone, except with one person the prior November. Granted, after my step-mother passed away March of 1992, I had started drinking way too much, I guess primarily out of guilt, and also to cover up the pain. But I'd lost too many wonderful friends over the years, and knew what to do and what not to do.
I made an appointment with the Marion County Health Department for the test. The Marion County nurse, Karen Bender, was rather rude and abrupt, which I chalked up to Salem, Marion County, and the fact that a majority of folks here then were still living in the 1950s. So the two week wait was on... for Friday, February 19, 1993, at 8:15am.
It snowed several times during that week. I'd never seen this much snow in town. So when I pulled in to the Marion County Health Department parking lot that morning, there had to have been at least 10 inches of snow on the ground. My battle-weary 1977 Chrysler LeBaron, with it's genuine Corinthian Vinyl, faded blue paint and even more faded blue vinyl top, bashed in right rear quarter panel (from a hit and run driver) along with it's piece of shit 318 V8 engine with Chrysler's Lean Burn system, hated the snow, and the snow hated it. And I wasn't very happy with either. My appointment was at 8:15am. Shortly after I arrived, the next appointment arrived. So we both sat and waited... Karen finally arrived about 8:40, cursing the snow and apologizing at the same time. Hell, we got here... why couldn't she with her four wheel drive?
Karen walked in to her office for a couple of minutes, then walked back out. She pointed at the other guy and said "You, you will just take a couple of minutes." Then she pointed at me and said "You, you're gonna take a while." So that was how I found out. The other guy was out of her office in a matter of minutes. I was there for over 3 hours. I found Karen to be a really awful public health nurse, and very uncaring. Almost spiteful, although I was now the reason she had a job. My life changed that day, never to be the same. They say hindsight is 20/20... and they're correct.
Leaving the parking lot, trying to drive between tears and the snow, my car got stuck. I pretty much finished the transmission trying to get out. Now I had to go in to work, and keep it together.
That night, my best friend Cindi and I went to my sister Donna's house. We sat on the floor, ate homemade guacamole with chips, with either wine or wine coolers. The evening and what we talked about is a blur to me now. The rest is history...
Friday, February 19, 1993
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