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Page 7
Junior
August 3, 1995
Junior's Apartment
Upper Tenderloin, San Francisco
Junior's younger brother Bunso is present.
MW: So again, your primary concern was them and not you?
Junior: I'm very consistent. After I told everyone, HIV can be funny, when I talk about it. It's just a fact. I don't want to spend more time about it. When I told my mom was the high point, because that's when I cried. When I told to my dad, it's so casual. "Oh, by the way, I'm HIV positive." I asked, "Do you understand what I mean?" And he said, "Yeah, you have something similar to what Magic Johnson has." I said, "Yes." I told to him that I'm taking care of myself and going to the doctor, and I have a support group. My father didn't cry. Maybe he cried after he hung up, but I'm upset. I wanted my dad to cry, and he didn't.
MW: How did you tell your mom?
Junior: I did a three-way call with my sister. She works as a nurse, and if I have another person with me to explain to my mom that I'm taking care of myself, then I think it will have less impact on her. We phoned her early in the morning, and I told her that I tested HIV positive in August, and I want you to know, and I'm taking care of myself. She started crying, "No, no, I don't want to it's hard. I can't accept it. It's hard." And then we lost her. She went back to sleep. My grandma found the phone on the floor. She said, "What did you tell your mom? She went back to sleep. Why did you call?"
MW: She fell asleep in the middle of when she was talking?
Uh-huh, and then she went back to her room. She was hoping it was a dream when she woke up. I phoned her after three hours. I talked to her, and I asked, "Do you remember what happened?" She said, "I remember. I'm much better now." Then she started to cry, and I told her, "Don't cry, don't cry." She said, "I have to cry now, then I'll be fine." So she cried on the spot, and after that she was okay. She was more concerned about if I want to go back there so she can take care of me, or if I want her to come here. I told her, "I have a long way to go. I'm still working, and I have medical insurance. I have a support group, and I think this is the best place for me to stay. All the research is being done here, and people are accepting about my condition. If I go home, people will stay away from me. I think I'll die faster." I told her that I have my brother here, and my sister. She said, "Oh, enjoy your life. Stop worrying too much. And take care of yourself." I started performing with Positive Spirit which really helped me open up to the world. I'm not embarrassed I'm HIV positive. I joined the gay parade, with BAY Positives. You were there. I was really nervous because a lot of people wave and they will see me on TV. I'm concerned about people from our neighborhood in the Philippines seeing me. For them it would be a big thing.
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