It was spring of 1988. I was going to my optometrist on Holly drive when I noticed an attractive young man looking at me as he drove by in his red convertible. I smiled coyly at him and to my surprise, he turned around and parked his car. He got out, walked up to me and said hi. I said hi back, but feeling VERY uncomfortable, I proceeded into the doctor�s office. The man followed me in and waited as I was being examined. The doctor�s assistant asked me what was wrong and asked if it was the man who followed me in. I said yes and asked if he was still there. Just as she was saying yes, we heard the door open and close. He had left.
I finished my exam, walked out the door and headed for my mom�s truck. Just as I got to the truck I saw the man coming towards me from his car. I heard him say something as he approached but I was nervous for some reason and got in and drove off. He got in his car and followed me. I pretended not to notice as he pulled up next to me and DESPERATELY tried to get my attention. I got on the freeway and it was there that I lost him. This ends the first chapter of the story.
Somewhere between then and the next chapter I found out the guy�s name was Rocky and that he had dated Jill�s sister Jan (an old co-worker). They had broken up when they worked at Chuck E. Cheese�s because he told Jan that he was gay and needed to explore his sexuality. He quit about one month before I got hired. Now at this time I was somewhat over my disastrous relationship with Jim and felt more open to try another relationship. It must have been around the summer of 1989. I invited my 7-11 co-worker, John, to have lunch with me at Happy Steak. I was disappointed to hear him talking about his old girlfriends and such, but decided to enjoy the meal anyway. I was a little surprised when our waiter came up. It was none other than Rocky.
I found myself with a difficult choice. Since I knew about Rocky, should I let him know I might be interested, or should I see him only as our waiter? I know he recognized me so I asked to use his pen. I wrote my number on a piece of paper and gave it back to him. I made a pathetic attempt at concealment, but it was completely obvious to all present what I was doing. I feel bad now for making poor John so uncomfortable. For some unknown reason, Rocky never called me. And so ends chapter 2.
Another year went by and it was the summer of 1990. Allen and I had gotten an apartment at the Granville complex and I would see Rocky and his boyfriend at the pool from time to time. Seems they lived there too. We would say hi to each other as if we were old friends. He would also come to 7-11 to buy odds and ends. I couldn�t help but notice how he had lost a lot of weight and became sort of pale. I figured he was like Jim and probably starved himself somewhat to stay thin. I didn�t think much of it. I moved in with Joe and Rob later on and pretty much forgot all about Rocky.
It was the Fall of 1992 when I was working still at 7-11. It was a Sunday morning and there in the Tracy Press was an obituary for Rocky. It said he died after a long battle with an unnamed illness. It all became clear to me. He had died from the A.I.D.S. virus (at least I assume). Knowing what I do of the disease, there is little doubt to me that he was infected when we first met. I began thinking how things could have been different if I had fallen to temptation that first encounter, or if things had happened differently thereafter. I thanked God for sparing me that fate and my life suddenly didn�t seem so unhappy after all. One point in closing though. Wherever you are Rocky, your life was not in vain. It had enough meaning to change at least one life for the better in the area of personal understanding and faith. May you rest in peace.
~FIN
