I had completely forgotten it was World Aids Day until I saw the newspaper article about who do you remember? Just last night I was thinking about Jack and Mel. I got this flash of mental images:

Jack on the floor of our group house living room running the D&D game, the first I ever played.

Mel whipping up real heavy cream for Easter Sunday brunch. I didn't know Mel that well, but it was the time in our lives when friends became family. I held Passover seders for non-Jews; Mel threw Easter Sunday brunch for me, John, and that friend of a friend I have now forgotten.

Jack taking my first batch of poetry submissions from my hand, those too thick envelopes, and mailing them for me because I was afraid to do it myself.

Mel, at the dinner where we ate the venison Jack had sent from Wyoming, dropping his jeans to show off his biker shorts and bragging about his weight loss and T cell count.

Jack dancing around the tiny kitchen table with me to Sinead O'Conner's put your hands on me.

Jack's face the day he told me he was in love with Mel.

Mel's mantra: Let's just go dancing.