What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day

Ava Johnson’s life changes forever after she tests positive for HIV. Before her diagnosis, Ava believed that she was free to move wherever she liked, have sex with whomever she pleased, and put off plans for her future as long as she desired. As soon as she discovers that she’s sick, Ava’s sense of time, self, and reality dismantle. Social and cultural stigmas surrounding HIV and AIDS dictate how Ava sees herself and her future opportunities. The novel establishes the relationship between Ava’s cultural context and her personal experience in Part 1, Chapter 1. While sitting at the airport bar, Ava overhears a television talk show in which “[t]hey [are] interviewing some women with what the host [keeps] calling full-blown AIDS. As opposed to half-blown AIDS” (3). These lines establish the social atmosphere and political climate of Ava’s world. Although Ava’s sister doesn’t reject her after her diagnosis, Ava encounters disrespect and harassment in her work and community contexts. For example, she’s harassed at her hair salon in Atlanta and verbally attacked at the pharmacy in