There was once a little boy A little boy once saw a firetruck scream by his house, sirens blaring, full of firefighters wearing intrepid, worn faces. He could imagine their rough hands, callused from swinging axes through hot flames, climbing ladders into burning buildings, and grasping to the side of that firetruck. Maybe they were off to save the lives of children just like him or a family just like his. These were truly brave men. He suddenly realized that this was the man he would be when he grew up. Brimming with excitement and self-satisfaction, he sprinted into the kitchen where his mother was washing the plates from that morning's breakfast. Elated, he burst out, ""Mommy! Can you buy me a toy fire truck? I want to be a fireman when I grow up!"" His mother responded, ""You're never going to grow up. You have AIDS.""