Excerpt from 'U, Sex and the Town' Episode 3

I never could understand why men do the things that they do or say the things they say. Even when William left me the first time, the excuses and reasons men give to avoid you have never ceased to amaze me. It was my last day off of work from the emergency leave I had stored up from over the years and I was to return on Friday. I didn’t mind the time off and enjoyed the amount of time I had to recollect on my life and the people in it. Leon was one of the people I thought about. He was average height for his age, standing at five nine for a twenty seven year old. He was fairly skinny, but was more muscle than fat and he kept his perfect brown skin smooth by shaving ever other day. The thing I loved most about him was that he always kept his hair cut up to date. Never a missed appointment with his barber. For months at a time, we hung out and made love with each other. We spent majority of the weeks together and our favorite spots to cuddle were Berkeley Hills and Berkeley Marina. It wasn’t until a few months into our dating game when he informed me that there was someone else he was talking to, but didn’t want me to leave because he didn’t know who to choose between. Most people in their right minds would have said fuck him and left, but apparently I wasn’t in my right mind. I stayed with him, fucked him day or night, and ended up loving him after that only to get a call Monday night saying he was choosing the other guy. I was never going to call or deal with him again, until I got the news that forced me to make this date with Leon and see him one last time. We met early afternoon at a Thai place called Cho Thai Cuisine over by Lake Merritt. It was small and quaint but very secretive.

“To be honest, I didn’t think I would have seen you again, Kenny.” Leon started, after he hugged me and sat down. I smiled nervously and cleared my throat.

“What did you expect me to do? Stay around?” I asked.

“I mean, you never know what may happen with me and Rick.”

“Oh, his name is Rick.”

“Yes, he is wonderful.”

And mark the first slap in my face for the day and cue the waiter appearing out of nowhere.

“Would you two gentlemen like anything to drink?” he asked in his Middle Eastern American mixed accent. I looked at Leon, who was searching for a drink section on his menu.

“It’s on the inside flap,” I informed as he opened the menu up and lit up with joy.

“Yes, I would like a glass of your Petit Verdot.” Leon ordered.

“And I just want a glass of Merlot.” I added. The waiter nodded and walked away.

“You come here a lot I take it.” Leon continued as I searched the menu for what I wanted.

“They have a killer peanut butter dip that I could have a whole order of.” I laughed and quickly raced in my mind how I was going to break the news to him before the waiter came back. I was afraid that I would get the same coldness I did from Chris last night, but figured I wouldn’t know unless I just said it.

“Leon, to be truthful with you, after the message you left me, I wasn’t going to see you ever again.” I slowly started. The waiter returned with our drinks and informed us that he would return after he helped the other couple who just walked in.

“Well, then why are you here? You still love me after this?” Leon sipped his red wine as I inhaled deeply.

“Of course, that will never change, but I just found out that I am sick.” I got out, looking dead in his face with fear. He raised his left eye brow.

“Sick? What do you mean?”

I took a big gulp of my wine now.

“I am HIV positive.” I whispered, “And because we’ve been sexual, I thought you
should know.”

“How long have you been positive?” he asked sternly, slowly placing his glass down.

“I’ve known for a couple of days now, but I’ve been positive for over a year.”

“A YEAR?” he blurted out.

“Did you not hear me say that I’ve known for a couple of days?” I asked, still at a whisper, "I got tested before I moved here, but left in a rush before the results came back."

“You could have affected me? And now you tell me? Is this some sort of a joke?”

“First of all, we always used protection.” I defended.

“And?”

“And, as soon as I found out, I came and told you.”

Leon shot up from the table, almost knocking over his wine.

“Now I have to take time out of my life to go get tested, and Rick too, because you weren’t smart enough to keep up with your records and so help me, if I am sick, I will ruin you.” He muttered in my ear. I sighed out of frustration and stood up to meet him.

“I suppose that this will be the last time I ever see or hear from you again.” I asserted quietly and forcefully, “But I would’ve thought you would have been more understanding to my feelings.”

“Fuck you.” He hissed and walked out of the restaurant. I slowly sat down at the table and rested my head on my left palm. The waiter returned all apologetic.

“Is everything okay?” he asked.

“Just keep the Merlot coming,” I informed, swallowing the rest of my wine and reaching for Leon’s glass. Yes, I never could understand why men do the things that they do or say the things they say. And it was conclusive that they were not going to stop amazing me even after Leon had left.