Giuseppe and Me — Robin Reardon

"My life is worth more than a few minutes of anyone's pleasure."

Alessandro Lupo (Alex) is a sixteen-year-old gay foster child who has been moved from "home" to "home" in New York City. Isolated by circumstances and by the protective shield he's surrounded himself with, he wanders the streets of the West Village and gravitates toward Stonewall Inn, where the 1969 riots planted the seeds of the gay civil rights movement. Having been raped at his previous foster home, he worries about HIV and about ever being able to enjoy sex.

Alex, whose parents had both been Italian, feels his lack of family keenly. As he wanders the city streets, he scrutinizes people who might also be Italian. Alex is short for Alessandro, which means defender of men; Lupo means wolf. But Alex feels fearful most of the time--fear not just of Derek, the other foster teen in his current home, but also of life in general--and wishes for the courage of his 19th century countryman, Giuseppe Garibaldi, with whose statue in Washington Square Park
Alex has imaginary conversations.

Then Alex meets two people who represent polar opposites: one who validates the low opinion Alex already has of himself; and another who helps him see himself in an entirely new light and teaches him that his life is worth more than a few minutes of anyone's pleasure.

This free short story is part of The Real Story Safe Sex Project, an all-volunteer organization created by Brent Hartinger and dedicated to using entertainment and popular culture to spread the word about HIV/AIDS and safe sex to gay and bi male teens and twentysomethings. For more information: brenthartinger.com/therealstory