THE TEST
The
walk from Awo hall to the Youth Friendly centre on Tech Road was the longest
Gloria had ever embarked on since she became a student of UI. Awo to YFC
shouldn’t take one more than ten minutes but Gloria spent almost thirty minutes
before she could get to YFC. Her mind travelled to the different “fun” she had
had in the past. The nights she spent at clubs, the days she stabbed classes
just to enjoy the erotic sensation with guys on campus, The one night stands
she had to avoid being bored, and above all, the test she was about to undergo
at the YFC. To make
the journey longer, she ensured that every acquaintance she
met on the road was saluted and even initiated little conversations with them.
She
would at some points on her way to YFC contemplate on whether to proceed with
the journey or go back to her room. After all, she will not know her status and
will also save herself from the fear of knowing that she is HIV positive should
the test result fail her hope. Another part of her urged her to proceed.
“it
is better to know your status and know how to deal with it than keep things to
yourself as if all is well” she remembered one of her friends’ numerous advice
on why she should undergo an HIV test.
Boladale,
one of her friends had encouraged her to go for HIV test some weeks earlier.
“They are friendly and will never let out your identity to any one Gloria. You
will be safe” Boladale told her once in one of their girl’s chat.
In
one of her numerous nostalgia moments, Gloria remembered how it all started. A
broken home, an abusive uncle, generous but sexploitive neighbours and an
environment that has all the resources that a girl child needs to begin the
business of the queens of the nights. She was just thirteen when her trusted
uncle initiated her forcefully into womanhood. She tried to cry but the voice
could not even wake her sleeping aunt. She could have told someone but the fear
that her uncle would do her more harm made her conceal the pains. Since her
first night and many more nights her uncle abused her, Gloria couldn’t resist
the urge for sex. A simple “hi pretty, you look good” from the opposite sex
meant more than just a compliment to Gloria.
To
many who never really understood her, she was a whore. Many, including her
various bed mates thought she was in for the money, they thought wrong. Despite
the fact that she was addicted to sex, Gloria was industrious. At age 20, she
was effectively running a makeover business in school. She couldn’t just say
no.
Her
latest bed mate had been refusing condoms but because she wanted sex by all
means, she gave him the green light. “What if I am not Kunle’s only bed mate?”
what if he is HIV positive?” the thought of contracting HIV through Kunle gave
her every reason to turn back but Boladale’s call saved the day.
“Aren’t
you coming again friendship aye? I don dey wait for you since now. No dey fear,
I am with you, God is with you.” Boladale spoke those words in a cheerful tone
that made Gloria forget the idea of turning back.
“I
will be with you shortly” Gloria replied faintly.
The
counsellor’s talks were too boring and they seemed unnecessary to Gloria but
she endured the counselling anyway. Gloria’s anxiety reached its climax when
the counsellor said another blood sample will need to be taken. The previous
one fell off from the counsellor’s hands. “Is this a sign that I should not do
this test?” she thought to herself.
“After all, they can’t mandate me to stay”
She
hesitated in allowing the counsellor to take another blood sample but Bola’s
smiling face melted her heart. Bola’s teasing and stories could not draw her
attention away from the consequences of the test she would be ware of in few
minutes.
By: Amos Adejinmi
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