Day 8 - In the Waiting Room

I gave blood as I had stated in the post before but it wasn't quite as easy as I had thought it would be. I had expected a wait, but when I got there the entire lobby was filled, they were on number 18 and I pulled number 54. ACKK. Worse then that the line for the bloodletting was back in the 80's (they turn it over at 99 back to 1). I pulled my number then looked for a seat.

Have you ever noticed that in a waiting room people generally don't talk? If they do it is a whisper, like no one can hear the whisper. What are you here for? I have VD, what are you here for? Same. Like I am going to date either of you now - geez.

Anyway I trolled the waiting room to find a seat out of the way of coughs and sneezes and found one in the corner where two gentlemen were talking. A whole waiting room of people and only two people really having a conversation. So I sit across from them, whip out my notebook and pretend to be busy as I listen in.

There was nothing earth shattering they were actually talking about swimming. Whenever I hear anything about swimming my ears perk up, but he was just talking about how he was going to miss his swim today. The other gentlemen asked what time the pooled closed and the first said 10;30. Oh you can make it is close by right? The other gentlemen responds yes it just a couple blocks away, it is the public pool. Now I am wondering how anyone could think that he could make it. It was 10 am right then, he gets in in the next 5 minutes walks the 2 blocks say another 5 minutes he changes and is at pool side it is 10:15 best case scenario. But he doesn't get called for another 7 minutes...And as he was leaving the other dude said see you'll make it. Now here is guy who sees the glass as 1/2 full.

When it was my time for bloodletting I sat down in front of a very young looking gentlemen fumbled with my coat took a couple of very deep breaths and smiled. Hi, he says, I am an intern with Kaiser do you mind if I take your blood today... YIKES!!! and intern? taking my blood?? I did the only thing I could - I smile through gritted teeth and said fine as long as you don't hurt me. He gave me a really sour look, so I thought that I should probably loosen him up a bit since he was -you know- taking my blood. Oh I bet you get that all the time right I asked. He smiled - whew.

Damn it hurt!!! When he told me I was done and to hold the gauze against my pulsating wound, I did a quick peak and my blood was still on the counter - and I turned my head again. I guess he hadn't come across in his internship someone who gets woozy at the sight of their blood for me it does not matter if it is in a bottle or the vein. This guy is oblivious, I am sweating profusely my eyes are tightly shut and I ask if I can go. No let me just finish this up and tape the gauze to you then you will be good to go. It had to have been the longest bloodletting in my life!!!

Just to let everyone know my deepest desire is not to be a bloodsucking vampire - though Lestat still rocks!!!