I could hear what he was saying to me, but it had no meaning.
I remember the moment the counselor told me my results. 'I tested positive at one of these trucks, too,' I told him. 'How am I supposed to stand around and talk about bullshit knowing…' He reached out and grabbed my hand. 'I'm supposed to meet friends tonight,' he continued. It would have been good to say something deeper, maybe. 'Why couldn't I have waited until I saw my doctor?' 'Didn't go as you expected?' I asked. 'Why did I go into that truck?' he asked, suddenly focusing on me. One of the barbacks noticed that Patrick looked dazed and asked me if everything was OK. 'Can I sit down?' he asked, indicating my stool. Just a guy.Īfter leaving the truck, Patrick walked toward me and hovered for a bit, dumbfounded. I've seen him at the bar a lot-he's an easy going, nice guy in his mid 20s. When he stepped out, I knew things hadn't gone as he'd expected. In less than 15 minutes, you can receive an HIV test and get your results.Ī few months ago, while working the door at the Eagle, I watched as a young guy walked into one of these trucks. They'll set up outside popular gay bars like the Eagle or in gay neighborhoods like West Hollywood on nights when they know gay guys will be out partying.
In LA, social service organizations like AIDS Healthcare Foundation use mobile trucks to do free HIV testing.
