I didn't plan to include anything on HIV as it didn't seem to be part of my life. How wrong I was.
Sometimes it seems that for the last few months there has been nothing else in my life but HIV. Not mine - I remain negative. But friends, lovers - my community. The amount of bareback sex I have experienced in Melbourne - at sex venues and anecdotally astonishes me.
Last night I found out that another friend in Melbourne has become HIV positive. This prompted me to think about the men I have met since my arrival in this town. Men I have dated, men I have kissed. Men who I've fucked with and men who I've simply shared dinner, a joke and a beer. So many of those men are HIV positive. A surprisingly large proportion became positive within the last year.
What follows is the story of my relationships in this town, a incestuous nest of risk, told as a biblical allegory to protect the identity of my friends. A blend of Genesis and Numbers set in Sodom.
Image: Dante and Virgil interview the sodomites, from Guido da Pisa's commentary on the Commedia, c. 1345
-----------------
Lot was HIV negative and dwelled in the cities of the plain. The lord commanded him to travel to Sodom, where Lot indulged in the sin of lust.
There Lot met Elizur and Shedeur at a bar. Elizur and Shedeur fucked this shit out of Lot. Condoms were used. Elizur and Shedeur fucked each other bareback.
Lot met Simeon at a bar and they kissed. Simeon is HIV positive.
Lot met Shelumiel online. Shelumiel was the lover of Zurishaddai. Zurishaddai was HIV positive but didn't know he was HIV positive as he hadn't been tested in years. Shelumiel and Zurishaddai barebacked several times. Lot and Shelumiel fucked the shit out of eachother too. Condoms were used. Shelumiel became HIV positive. Zurishaddai discovered he was positive. Lot stayed negative.
Lot met Nahshon in another town. Lot and Nahshon fucked the shit out of eachother. Condoms were used. Previously, Nahshon travelled to Sodom every few months were he indulged in the sin of lust with Amminadab who is the partner of Issachar. Issachar and Amminadab are regularly bareback with eachother. Nahshon barebacked with Amminadab because he 'liked him and thought he could trust him'.
Lot met Zuar online. Zuar is HIV positive. Lot and Zuar have not yet fucked, but probably will do one day. With condoms.
Lot met Zebulun through a mutual friend. Zebulun is HIV positive and contracted HIV by barebacking. Lot met Eliab through Zebulun. Eliab is HIV positive, and contracted HIV by taking Crystal Meth while fucking and forgetting to put on a condom.
Lot met Elishama. Elishama is HIV positive and contracted HIV through barebacking.
Lot met Helon, who is HIV negative. Lot and Helon fucked. Condoms were used. Helon introduced Lot to Joseph and Ephraim. Ephraim caught HIV in Gomorrah. Ephraim gave HIV to Joseph by fucking without condoms. Joseph fucked Ammihud without condoms. Ammihud didn't get HIV. He was lucky.
Lot and Ammihud fucked this shit out of eachother. Condoms were used. Both remain HIV negative.
-----------------
