I can't help but think of the high state of anxiety Chevo must have went through after he learned the guy he was dating was HIV positive. Never mind the fact they had only kissed and nothing more progressed beyond that. But still, he and this other guy had a few dates before the other guy decided to tell him he was HIV positive.

We'll never know why the other guy withheld the information in the beginning, when they first dated. That's the kind of information that just doesn't slip a person's mind when you date someone the first time even if you don't have sexual activity together. You have to figure, after all, that passionate kissing on the first date could have led to sex itself. The fact they didn't have sex on the first date would be beside the point because the other guy withheld vital information about himself that had the potential to seriously impact the life of another person. I guess that is what really bothers me. It is also the reason why I always use protection and play safe.

It may seem unfair to the other guy who is HIV positive, but he did have an ethical obligation to inform Chevo of his HIV positive status in the beginning. Waiting until after they had dated a few times before he informed Chevo raises the issue of personal ethic in relationships. We don't often discuss this aspect of relationships and, when we do, it is usually after the fact and after something has gone wrong. In this particular case, the potential for something going wrong was certainly there.

The amount of anxiety Chevo has experienced is the price he must pay. This time he was lucky. But, the next time .... ??????

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Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves. And, under a just God, cannot long retain it.

-- Abraham Lincoln

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