This does not paint me in a good light, hence a few pictures of Dog at the end to ease the guilt…
I’ve always considered myself to be a fairly generous soul. Magnanimous. Not given to fits of envy…
In these lockdown times when we are admonished to stay at home as much as possible, there are few legal reasons to get out and about so one needs to be creative.
The Textiliste is nothing if not creative. “Let’s give blood.”
Now, for all sorts of reasons, good and bad, I’ve never donated before and the Textiliste hasn’t for several years. “Why not?”
The nearest blood doning centre is in Tooting, in South London near where we had our first flat together. It was all very efficient and easy and we felt very covid secure as we exsanguinated an arm each, had our biscuit and drove home with the glowing self satisfaction of a job well done.
That’s when it began. The next day, she received a text thanking her for attending. Texts on my phone have become a bit erratic so I didn’t think anything of my lack of a text of thanks.
A day or so later it was an email. Then a call and another email. She was being swamped with information about when she could next give, how they’d contact her, what they were doing with her blood, how it was being treated and tested. Her blood was sent to a hospital in Norfolk, a tracker was supplied, much like an Amazon parcel. She was sent a video taking her through the steps that her blood had been subjected to. They’ll organize a doorstep clap for it soon…
Me? Not a word.
Her blood, type O negative is of course the universal standard. Everyone can have her blood. That was made very clear. Me, I’m type common, plasma for the plebs. She’s a gold card donor. They’ll put her name on the doning couch for next time, a star above her canula. I’ll be in the crowd scene.
I mean, I understand she’s special but where’s the harm in sending out one little thank you for coming… it would stop me seeing red.
I am officially pathetic. Hence the balm of Dog in his snazzy coat
TanGental 
An armfull!!?
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Ah, Dog is tonic for the soul! Thank you, for lifting my spirits Dog. And I have never donated blood (does that make me a creep?)
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Oh, His Geoffleship! Don’t worry. Some pleb will definitely be singing your praises when our plasma is used to help them!
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Maybe one thank you email wouldn’t have gone amiss! But definitely they need to keep the rarer types onside.
Ritu is right – somebody out there is definitely thankful for yours too!
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Oh! Geoff the ungrateful swines….. Well on behalf of the rest of the world I say THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Like Gordon I remember the Blood Donor..great sketch!
Love dog and friend.💜👌
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Oh, at some point we all have to confront the realisation we’re just not as worthy as others, Geoff. The hurt will pass. Dog looks very smart in his coat. Who is his friend?
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Snazzy coat for sure. I think you are not as good looking is the only explanation for being ignored. Just saying.
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Being one of those common blood types that wouldn’t receive a thank you, I quite understand. The fact that you didn’t even get a simple email thanking you for braving the over-sized needle to give blood is a black mark on the vampires, not you. 🙂
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I think I’d rather not be pestered like that and would think myself the lucky one! I used to be a regular donor and even got a badge for a certain number of donations (can’t remember how many exactly), but like the Textiliste I have lapsed.
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Thank you for giving blood Geoff. I think though that all the stuff the Mrs got was a tad over the top…….. like four miles!!! Good on her too, but the response seemed a little over exuberant.
Who’s the other dog? Seems a little interested in Dog’s ‘jacket’…………….
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I’ve not given for a few years, chiefly because they’d struggle to find a vein (I do have them, they’re just buried deep or something).
On my first attempt, I failed at the questionnaire stage. Not suffering from any communicable disease or taking any meds, I rattled it off quickly and took my seat in the queue, only to be summoned by a nurse and informed there was a problem with one of my answers.
“Which one?”, I enquired surprised.
“Are you a woman who has had anal intercourse with a stranger in the last three months?”
“What was wrong with my answer?”
“You said, no”
“Well, I’m not.”
“You weren’t supposed to answer that question”.
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Haha, thanks for the laugh.
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Those brutes!
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Yes, I think you should consider yourself lucky. What a waste of resources, paper and human! Now that you mention blood donations there’s not been the usual advertising here for new victims (donors). Les goes regularly to the vampires (what he calls the Path Lab)!
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You got your biscuit. What more do you want?
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It does seem a bit over the top. Why can’t they just send a simple automated thank you to everyone? It’s a bit unfair that some people get thanked and not others.
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I agree even if that makes me feel rather pathetic!!
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I think it’s good you haven’t been contacted. Yipes. Sooner or late you’ll realize this. And yes, Dog is definitely balm for the Covid-isolated soul
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I am content in my place as an also ran
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