Giving Blood

I gave blood earlier this year in Sacramento. Signed up on a bulletin board and everything. 5:00 pm. A traveling van showed up at the old McClellan airforce base (where I live) with white-clad doctor-looking people inside. I'd never given blood before, but I knew it was for a good cause and although needles aren't exactly my type, I decided that I'd still give'em a shot (no pun intended). I admit it, I was nervous. Naturally, they sat me down and assisted me through ample amounts of paperwork did nothing but increase my trepidation. Phrases like "in case of emergency" and "faintness and dizziness may occur" didn't help. After about 30 minutes the paperwork was done, and they sat me on a dentist chair type of thing and chatted me up. Although their friendliness did ease my nerves slightly, I couldn't help but notice the needle they were fashioning. Then came the old smiling face that says "this will pinch a little bit". Wham bam thank ya ma'am, and just like that there's a tube in my arm, my own blood coursing through it. Whatever, it's over with. I'm home free. Finish this up and get me out of here.

The point of this post is to let you in on a little secret of the red cross blood giving system. As I jumped out of the seat with the intent of whirling out of there as fast as possible, the nurse told me that I had to stick around for 15 minutes and relax. What the fuck? I thought. No wonder nobody gives blood, this sucks ass. She led me to a back room, told me to sit down. And eat. Placed in front of me were the munchies of a stoner's dream. Oreos, Grandma's soft moist delicious chocolate chocolate chip cookies and chips ahoy to mention only a few. The nurse told me to just dig in. For the first time in my life, it was asked of me to stuff my face with all the foods that arouse the guilt in conscience. And I was famished. Low blood sugar, meet cracker jacks. It was awesome.

Why doesn't the Red Cross advertise this? Wouldn't a whole bunch of stoners sign up to give blood if only for the feast afterwards? I think they are missing a huge chunk of society that would not normally give blood, but would consider it with this new added incentive.