the bloodmobile

The first time in my life today-I entered a bloodmobile.

It’s kind of a crazy funny sad sort of story.

Crazy funny? My son is like I was when driving trucks long distance-a stickler for keeping everything on his motor vehicles in order. Last night on his drive down to Florida he encountered a serious rain storm-the same thunderstorm that came through here last night,and something showed up on his ‘check engine’ signal on the dash…so,we ended up at a dealership.

They came by to get me earlier in the day-but the objective was to get the truck looked at to determine why the ‘check engine’ light was on. Crazy? Well…my son comes down from South Carolina-and we spend the day in a dealership! I’m in Florida. Being sincere-my son has a passion fo his vehicles…and I understand that. He gets it from me.

In front of the dealership was a bloodmobile. They always set up doing those promo’s with T-shirts or a free hot-dog,there was one here today-same deal,donate and we’ll give you a Tshirt and an over cooked dog.

I have to confess. I’ve had a few beers. I wish I was dead…but the beers will help,some. It just happens-today upset me,and I want to be numb.

I never donated blood in my life-nor have I been in one of those buses to see what they were like. Well…my life? No,that’s not exactly true-once,yes,in boot camp-we all donated blood…but what I mean is-never since!

So-we are all in the waiting room and the woman from the bloodmobile comes in-we were waiting for my sons truck to get checked over….so,there is a request for blood donations and my sons wife and I decide to do it.

There is an interview that takes place-I was not aware,but we went on with it-the young lady from the bloodmobile and I. Questions were asked-many that made sense.

Then the question about-had I been a victim of sexual assault?

Yes-I said yes!

The young lady giving the interview was taken aback by my honesty-but after she regained her composure-she said I was not able to donate blood. That was determined because my assailants were males-and I was raped ( penetration)….not female.

I believed the young lady-her sympathy. She seemed to tear up as she was rejecting me. Outside-as I re-entered the main section of the converted bus,the other ‘workers’ looked at me because my interview was a tad shorter then they expected…and I explained “I am sexual assault survivor”! One of the workers laughed out loud-the others chuckled….chuckles like back in barracks D….they did so until they realized the truth.

Funny damned thing…even being able to do something lifesaving,and I am denied!

I did nothing wrong…yet it still punishes me! Another thing stolen from me.