from Amazon

David Saars  wrote a book about an eight year old boy, his son Benjamin, who as a haemophiliac had many blood transfusions. One of these led to his illness with HIV/AIDS. Benjamin loved drawing and painting and dealt with the pain of his illness, both physical and emotional through brilliant coloured pieces of art.

Benjamin went to bed each night telling his mother that she could be the red or the blue boat but that he was the yellow boat and he was on a river heading straight to the sun. This concept he got from an old Swedish Folk Song where the red and the blue boat returned but the yellow boat sailed on to the sun.

Luckily treatments have improved since 1987 and the deaths from HIV/AIDS is on the decrease worldwide despite, in some countries, the number of people testing positive to HIV increasing.

“Matron, I just had a needlestick injury”                                                                         “It’ll be okay. Don’t worry. Now fill out this incident form, have your blood taken and we’ll take some blood from the patient.”

“Whose going to tell her she’s infected already with AIDS.

“It’s not good news. Your bloods have come back positive. More than positive – you already have AIDS.”                                                                                                 “But how?”                                                                                                                                    “Do you have any lifestyle risks, had blood transfusions?”                                        “No.”                                                                                                                                        “Does your husband?”                                                                                                              “No.”                                                                                                                                          “You’d better check that with him.”  

 “You bastard.”                                                                                                                             ” Why?”                                                                                                                                            ” I’m going to die.”

“She’s in a yellow boat on a river taking her to the sun.”

I never know where I’m going with Charli’s prompt.  which for October 8th: In 99 words (no more, no less) include a yellow boat on a river. Be creative with the phrase. It can be about a yellow boat or it could be the name of a band or brand of toothpaste. It can be included in the setting or be the adventure.

As a bonus challenge, anyone willing to write a story for three year-olds will be included in a separate children’s compilation. It’s an option, and not the main prompt. I owe my nephew a story.

I know Charli was giving us a bright, breezy prompt after the last prompt of fear but I haven’t given her much to smile about in my response. I did find however a piece of music that I enjoyed listening to so will include it here as well.