Red on white and the cross beckons for the feet to pass the threshold. Checks, forms and needles abound behind the door and along the stations six. Seats big and large for the feet to rest up in the air as the arm feels the drain. Middle finger before the main line and the itch begins.
Metallic protrusion stark and gleaming. Tape holds down into the massive plunge, deep into the elbow. Red line for the mean time; coursing as one pint to 470mL fills up steady and plenty. Rich and bloody, sauce and suckle packet for vampires on cruising nights and neck fights. Ignorance is not this. Ever present reminder as the cold sticks up a raw feeling and presence from start to finish.
Wall to wall notes, markers and milestones of other donors. People across the way facing back with drip lines feeding yellow as the spinning machines spit back red. Clench and release. Rinse and repeat. Minutes later and another arm is done for. Hold there firmly please. Bandage up around the not so tiny hole wraps up the blood letting.
Strawberry milkshake from the kitchen general area of the blood bank shake down to start the rest easy. Crispy chips gam up with biscuits on parade. Crunch and munch. Snickers of a fun size variety follow up with a spatter of jelly beans. All done and sugar up again with the walk out again ready to prime the pump for next time.
Three months to wait for another round. One season to fall over next expulsion of iron, haemoglobin and plasma.
Soon Van - Friday, August 3, 2007 - 22:46
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