AM: Far and Away

Busy weekend. Gobarth was roasted on Friday, not becuase it was a death ritual for Clerics, but because he had turned 35. The Master of Ceremonies, an elvin Presley impersonator, lead personal jabs at Gobarth's character. Luckily Gobarth had a surplus of hit points and sustained minimal damage. Ver Klempt and Natzzo were seated at the deus and joined in the roasting. Ms. Vickers, Klem Matoh and Karl hid among the audeince. Actually Karl hid behind Oola when the MC started mocking their adventures. He said that the D&D adventures made Knit Night at the Dark Tower look like "Fight Club". Karl later said that he was protecting Oola from behind by "shadowing" her under his cloak. A good time was had but the collateral damage to the roasters and roastee was apparent at Olla's Oscar party the following Sunday. They blamed it on bad mead from Friday.

Sunday, February 5
I checked in on my mother on Sunday at 4:30 am EST. It was evening on Ladrone, Tara and her daughter were over for dinner, Ralph just walked in from work. My mother complained about bills and how slow everything was taking to process my father's paperwork. I took her kvetching as a healthy fighting response. I talked with all of them for about an hour. My mother has invited her friend Khar to move in since they are now both single women. Khar is Ladrone's version of Morgan Fairchild, divorced, fashion forward, and the first of my mother's friends to have had plastic surgery. She had eyelids put in. Over the years, Khar discovered the secrets of remaining eternally middle aged. I hope this is a good idea. It sounds more like a reality show called "Widow".

I tried to get back to bed, but I was already wide awake. I worked on some projects and house chores. I told Oola I'd help her with some of the Oscar party food. That evening she made a stewed lamb shank with couscous, I made a salad. Mind you, Oscar night is the gay super bowl, foraging for salad goods on this day was a task. Not a decent tomato or head of romaine to be found for miles.

Monday, February 6
I think I've recovered from the jet lag but I am a bit run down and dizzy today. There was so much to do this weekend. By around 3:10 pm I ran a temperature, was nauseus and was sweating with a stomach ache. I called councilor L---- at Anger Management and asked if I could skip tonight and make up for it on another day. He said I would have to get this pre-approved in writing from my PO, Mr. L---, just as I did with my father's funeral. In other words, he meant "No". I took some aspirin and a PB and said I'd be there. Councilor L---- reminded me that he was gone next week so I shouldn't miss tonight's lecture on AIDS, STDs and it's roots in Domenstic Violence. I dressed warmly, took Tums for good measure and caught my train.

As I pushed the elevator button at the building, D-----, yelled hold it. He jumped in and said "Hey Carl, thanks, how you doin' tonight?". Usually a genial, well spoken man, he held out his hand. I said was a little under the weather, and he withdrew and said. "Yeah I know, I woke up today and my big toe was bleeding." He made no sense to me but I smiled and nodded.

5:55 pm, I got Mr. L----'s attention, signed in took and took my usual seat by M---. He talking about how he nearly got arrested this weekend, which means he would go back to jail for a year and a half since he is already on parole.

Mr. Lamar introduced himeslf as being from an agency called FROSTD (Foundation for Research on STDs). He presented social statisitcs that show how the black community has an AIDS problem. He addressed how AIDS is spread. Shortly the conversation turned to a heated rally between blacks and and latinos. Over the course of 10 minutes it desintigrated into Haitians vs Jamaicans vs African Americans and then Puerto Ricans vs Boricurans vs Cubans, and which group does IT more with multiple partners. I glazed over and wiped the sweat from my head.

Mr. Lamar broke up the babble and asked "Do you even know what HIV stands for?" He was pointing at me. Caught off guard I said "mmm.. Immuno... Virus..." Someone else yelled out "the H is for Humano" (sounds like Cubano).

From there the topic moved to AIDS in prison and how people most comonly became infected. The answer was "Prison Tattoos"; I found that hard to believe that it wasn't prison sex. Maybe I watch way too much Public Television. He talked about the prison subculture of scaring and tattoos. I was still surprised prison sex didn't come up once. Mr. Lamar, asked "Who of us had not been to prison?" I raised my hand. Actaully, I was the only one raising my hand. He asked if I had a question. I said "No, I'm just saying that I've never been to prison." I realized that he was asking a rhetorical question.

Overall I'd say that I did learn a few new things about AIDS and HIV tonight. My awareness of STDs stopped soon after art college. The lecture ended with the topic of Domestic Violence, of course. The answer was short and simple. If one would do anything for drugs one would tend to be a more violent person. That makes sense, I guess. We didn't spend a lot of time on this part of the lecture. The evening ended with a fire drill, we filed out the door towards the stairs. Mr. L---- reminded me that I'm on the field trip list for next week, we're seeing an exhibit on the 17th on the history of slavery in America.

Epilogue
I can empathize with the group but its hard for me to relate to this topic when it is addressed from a cultural vantage point that is not mine: prison culture. But this culture is from a far away land and I am only a tourist, not a resident. I thought more about M--- nearly getting arrested. To a parolee any arrest means a year and a half in jail. He drove with a suspended license to pick up his kid, not a wise thing to do, but even the police officer didn't want to jail him for that. M--- is completing multiple DOC programs and AM. He has four kids and actually seems like a decent guy. The police officer told M--- to call some one to pick him up or drive him home and let him go with a warning.

That thought made my stomach turn even more. I stopped in a small diner for the remedy, chicken soup and gingerale, on my way to the train. I figured I should eat while I had a little appetite.

Scores on the Board:
12 - 8 = 4 AM sessions
Note: No Am next week, double session this month, graduation day on April 10