Short Stories

"In My Life" is an edited volume of writing by 14 young people from several township schools in the Western Cape, South Africa, on the subject of HIV/AIDS in their everyday lives. It was published in 2003 by the Centre for the Book (South Africa) and McGill University (Canada). "In My Life" investigates how HIV and AIDS plays out in the lives of the youth participants, in their homes and their communities. It is striking in the finished work to see the enthusiasm and the dedication of the youth to come up with new and inventive ways to tackle the AIDS pandemic and to keep 'getting the word out' in their communities, schools and peer groups. This book is part of that ongoing dedication, and will hopefully serve to inspire and raise awareness in other youth.

My write-up is an autobiographical account, which, I believe, many ordinary individuals of my age group can relate to. This contest question led me to do a lot of soul-searching and critical thinking. My write-up thus seeks to provide its readers with the answer to what makes me or any individual for that matter engage in unsafe and risky behavior, in spite of the knowledge of HIV prevention methods. I have attributed this risky behavior to a 'mental picture', wherein "THE TODDLER LEADS THE MAN" (symbolic of the 'follower's syndrome') and appealed to the readers to contain this 'follower's syndrome', by evolving one's primordial infantile emotions into reasonable and responsible consciousness within oneself. This can then enable one not to engage oneself in unsafe practices in spite of the knowledge of the bitter consequences. (This story was a submission to YAHAnet's first contest held in summer 2008.)