Lost vitality
Last week, while going to the supermarket, I stumbled upon one of those blood donation vans. There was some portly dude in shades trying to lure me with Marlins tickets into handing over my hard-earned blood. Being overdue for a donation, I let him pretend he was a good salesman and agreed to enter the van.
One of the blood-taker girls was about to leave for the day when she asked to look at my veins. Nodding and “mmm-hmm”ing like she had her choice of men at La Bare, she asked my blood type (O+). She was extra-satisfied at this response, knowing that most people can receive O+ blood.
I think she was a vampire.
They asked me to do a double red blood cell collection, which takes longer and makes me ineligible to donate in four months rather than two. I agreed, and they were kind enough to give my plasma and platelets back.
I was actually slightly light-headed afterwards, which is unusual. And will probably affect me breaking a 13-minute mile in the near future. But it saved someone’s life, and I got two free Marlins tickets and an apple juice.
I fail at chess.
Two Wednesdays ago, I played a USCF-rated game for the first time in months. I managed only a draw against a 3rd grader, rated 1180. (Grats to him; no one below 1300 has managed a draw against me before.) He vaguely resembled me as a kid and used a MonRoi, which completely threw me off psychologically. At least that’s the best excuse I could come up with.
He seemed about as tactically aware as I was, and was really eager to exchange off his Knight for a Bishop. He never generated any real threats, but I wasn’t good enough to hurt him. Need to post this game later.
Moral of chess story: Don’t take breaks. And don’t age.
The first time I gave blood the nurse looked at my bulging veins and freakishly thin wrists and said:
“Ooh, I’m gonna pop me up a juicy one!”
Reply to Derek SlaterIs it true that when you give blood it’s harder to get an erection?
Reply to The Mascotwhen i finally weighed enough to give blood the nurse said my veins were too mushy. so now i have 30 extra pounds and no altruism to boast of. Not that I gained weight solely to give blood. I’m O neg too. I am still trying, there is a blood center walking distance to my house. And it has Wifi!
I have a strong visual of you…playing chess with a little you…stylus-ing all his moves into a little chess PDA. and I just have to say “awwwwwww”.
Reply to annie@Derek: Strange. Today, someone advised me not to turn 50.
@Mascot: Do you mean while you’re in the process of giving or after you give? It’s no in either case, and you can stop trying to be Mr. Funny Egg now.
@Annie: But part of the reason you gained weight was to give blood. Yes?
Reply to DonnieEmmm…. no. ALL of the reason I gained weight was because of newlywed eating. five years later we’re still newlyweds…and still eating. i better give some blood soon.
I actually had a conversation about um those things with a male who was not carlos. apparently they happen whenever, and there is no way to control them…even if one happens to be ill, or tired, or, in mascot’s case, drained of blood.
Reply to annie