While looking at gay.com profiles I came across Brian Robertson’s who was the first gay person I met and became friends with. I really enjoyed talking to him and hanging out. He was also the first person I had any real sexual contact with. I remember when I first chatted with him on yahoo and the next day got a private from him, but he thought he was talking to someone else, which we figured out later in the conversation. It was cool that happened though because it gave me a chance to meet him. I remember I actually got the nerves up to drive from Burlington to Raleigh, but almost chickened out on the way up there. I obviously sucked it up and went to meet him. I remember as soon as I got out of the car he gave me a big hug and I was not as nervous anymore. We hung out, ate dinner, swam in the pool, had our “fun” and I went home the next day. We continued to talk and hang out for several months and continued to stay close friends, we even took a trip to DC together, and had a blast. When I decided to move to Raleigh we were going to get a place together. I eventually decided that was probably not a good idea as Brian liked to have a lot of fun and I needed someplace that I could chill if I needed and be away from that kind of fun. I ended up not living with Brian but still saw him on occassion and that winter when to see him at his Raleigh Ringers concert and remember getting to see him after it was done and he seemed excited that I was there, because we had not really seen each other for a few months prior and I had been dating Nate and still was. Anyway, I eventually lost touch with Brian and we would only chat online for a bit or see each other briefly at the club and that was it….
Anyway, looking at his profile today I see that Brian now is HIV +…..
In a way I am not really surprised (and i dont mean that in a bad way) but it was really weird to know that I now know someone that this disease has affected. It really makes you think when it hits home and someone you know has it, even though we are no longer close it is still a hard hit to me….
To Brian….Thank you for being a friend when I needed one most, you really helped shape me into the person I am and even though I will be in San Francisco I hope you always know that you have a friend in me……Tim