Santhosh's ramblings

(2023) I met Mrs. R after 20 years today. She and I were happy meeting each other after this long period. She said, “My elder son (who is Sero-positive) is a body builder and doing very well. Younger one is married and doing well too. I am doing fine.”    Then she told this story. “A year ago, I was waiting for my medications in the government hospital, and I saw this young lady who looked very disturbed. I went close to her and asked her what happened. She said you will not understand I am HIV positive. I smiled and told her; I am too, and I have been on medications for last 20 years. Then she said, you will not understand, I am pregnant, and I want to abort the pregnancy. I again told, I can understand, and told her my story. She after listening to my story, took my phone number and walked off. A year later I get a call from an unknown number, and it turned out to be the same lady. She did not abort, had a baby and is on treatment and doing well. This is what I do these day...

"We were a thriving colony, having settled here about three years ago. Nestled in a well-protected location surrounded by lush foliage and trees, with nearby gardens providing ample flowers for sustenance, we were flourishing at an almost overwhelming pace. At times, I thought the growth was too rapid for my liking, but the queen mother was content, and the colony saw an influx of new workers and drones.  The period from September to December was particularly bustling, marked by the addition of numerous new members. As a worker, these were busy days – foraging for enough food and tending to the needs of the newcomers. Yet, it was all worthwhile. We were a united community, and our lives revolved around the queen mother.   One late afternoon, disaster struck. Commotion and smoke filled the air as the hive was violently dismantled by the massive hands of a human being. Many of my companions perished. I was one of the fortunate few who managed to escape alongside our queen and th...