"Clinton, I heard a certain hospital needs some voluntary blood donors . Don't you think we can join"? Rene asked while we headed towards the school restaurant .
"Ahh meehn , please forget about it . I have lots on my table right now. Remember we've got to submit our dissertations soonest. I don't have time for nonsense". I replied him raising my eye brows and wearing a serious face.
"ohh come on" he said trying to convince me . Then he continued.
"it's not like the whole stuff will cost you. Neither will it take much of your time. It won't cost you anything. Besides, tomorrow is pregnant. One of your family members or an acquaintance would one day need an urgent blood transfusion. Anyways, it's up to you. Do as you please".
The discussion about blood donation ended immediately. I was terribly hungry, so Rene and I ordered some food while sitting and laughing at a lady who devouring her food as though she had not seen food for days.
When she discovered our attention was solely on her, she began eating gently like a child who was being forced to eat .
***
"What was so pertinent about this blood donation of a thing? One would donate blood and when a patient is in need of blood, they'll rather sell it as if it was bought. Not just sell but sell at a wooping sum of money". I thought within my self again after Rene and I had finished from the restaurant and we were parting ways to our different houmes .
I Was naturally suffering from Trypanophobia (fear of needles) and to some extent hemophobia (fear of blood). I hated seeing blood and worst still; being injected.
Before I was injected, about three nurses would sure hold me tight.
Isn't it in this same voluntary blood donation stuff that Wendy, Prof Tembi's daughter lost her life"? I got lost in thoughts again.
Prof Tembi had told us his lovely daughter was a voluntary blood donor because of her passion to save lives.
She had donated blood about Thirteen times and in the Fourteenth session, she gave up the ghost due to the negligence of a nurse.
We didn't know how careless she was but it was alleged she was an intern who when injecting a patient, shook as if she was about commiting murder for her first time.
Surely, she had confusedly done a different thing and this resulted to the death of Prof Tembi's beautiful daughter.
***
Inspite the phobias, I willfully decided to give it a try . Not for my own sake but for God's. I wished the blood I was going to donate was going to save a soul.
I called Rene and told him I had made up my mind to donate blood. He was so elated and he gave me directives on how I could go about it.
How was I to go about it when i never had sufficient funds to fare myself there?
Oooopps! I decided to trek half the distance and got a cab where I could afford to pay since I never had enough money. I was planning on doing same on my way back.
Then, I had my way into the hospital with mixed feelings. What if I lost my life just like Wendy"? I thought within me.
Well, a gentleman remains a gentleman. I had vowed not to disgrace myself Infront of those nurses.
So, everything went on Successfully. Atleast I didn't shout when I was about being injected. Haha lol.
I was given some money for transport fare .Atleast just as an act of appreciation which I thanked the Doctor so much and I took my leave.
On my way home, I ran into this short, bald headed and very shabby guy who looked exactly like a scarecrow. What?
He wanted some cash from me so he could get some food . He looked so pitiful and really hungry.
What was I to do? Give him the money and trek half way again? Oh no God forbid! I was feeling really drowsy for heaven's sake.
Anyways, to ensure he actually buys the food he was asking money for, I took him to the nearest restaurant and got him a plate of food. He was so elated that he knelt down thanking me that I became even more embarrassed.
"please stand up and eat your food" I replied smiling like someone who just got engaged.
"Hey Clinton , heyyyy" . Guess who was calling across the road?
It was Jemie, my old time friend. She came shopping.
I was so happy to see her after a long time. She looked stunning and classy. She was now working with an NGO from what she told.
We finished discussing and laughing out our lungs.
"It is nice meeting you again" she said while removing a note from her handbag.
Ohhh my! It was a cheque of...
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End!!
It costs nothing to be kind. The benefits cannot be overemphasized.