Missing it

I walk in, sit down, and look around. Maybe this won't be as bad as I've been expecting. Knowledge is power right? But those who acquire power end up with responsibility. I don't like this idea.

Yeah, I definitely don't want to be here.

My classmates are scattered throughout the auditorium, people I recognize and who recognize me, but we really don't care about each other. They've got enough other people in their lives to think about besides me. I can't blame them. I feel the same way.

"Okay everyone settle down! We are going to get started now."

Everyone shuffles to their seats. I glance at the clock.

"As you all know we are here tonight at this workshop to talk about AIDs. Who can tell me what they know about AIDs?"

Hands shoot up across the room. Questions get answered and the two instructors try to enlighten the 100ish people in the room. We're all learning now.

A hand goes up at the back of the room. It belongs to a man from my class. If you've seen Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite then you've seen this man. He'd like to impart his knowledge to the discussion leaders. They've been doing this 20+ years and are HIV positive, but still they've forgotten something, something he knows that they don't. It's a good thing he came.

"It's up to you to encourage your at risk friends to get tested."
A face pops into my head. This face is the reason I didn't want to come. The reason I don't want to know.

"If you're presented with a situation where unsafe sex is an option you have other choices. Someone shout out your favorite body part."

An overzealous man shouts "BOOTY!!"

"Okay now everyone shout out things you could do with this that doesn't involve actually having sex."
The room goes wild. Apparently this is the chance people have been waiting for.

"Squeeze it!!"
"SPANK IT!"
"Bite it!!!"
"RRRIIIDDEEE IIITTTT!!!!!"
"Smell it"   <-- Some things I just really don't get...
"Kiss it!"

......hmmm.....

Oh education.

"Don't forget your free goodies on the way out. Remember times are hard so don't take more than you need."

I walk out of that building feeling we are all missing it. It's flying by our faces so close we can feel it as it passes by, yet still we miss it.