The Law School ran a blood drive with Red Cross. This seems to be the time for commitments--public TV and radio are imploring viewers and listeners to contribute. I have plenty of blood so I would give.
I was given two simple forms to complete, the usual kind of things: allergies, drugs, etc. Except, lurking on the back of one form was a question asking if I had recently been to the UK. Strange. No other countries were mentioned. Was this because of entente cordiale? Our infamous "special relationship"? Is our blood allied blood?
Well, of course I'd been in the UK, I came from there.
I hand in the forms and a moment later the medic looks glum. Was it because I'd admitted to taking an aspirin that morning? No.
"I have to reject you," he said. "You've been in the UK."
"So? I come from there."
"It's because of 'mad cow disease'. We can't risk you."
"Of course I understand. There are enormous numbers of cattle wandering around central London where I live. It's highly dangerous. Unlike India where their cows are holy."
"I can give you a checkup anyway," he brightly said.
"Will that tell me if I have mad cow disease?"
"No. I meant your pulse and blood pressure."
Oh, gosh, what's going to happen...?
I was given two simple forms to complete, the usual kind of things: allergies, drugs, etc. Except, lurking on the back of one form was a question asking if I had recently been to the UK. Strange. No other countries were mentioned. Was this because of entente cordiale? Our infamous "special relationship"? Is our blood allied blood?
Well, of course I'd been in the UK, I came from there.
I hand in the forms and a moment later the medic looks glum. Was it because I'd admitted to taking an aspirin that morning? No.
"I have to reject you," he said. "You've been in the UK."
"So? I come from there."
"It's because of 'mad cow disease'. We can't risk you."
"Of course I understand. There are enormous numbers of cattle wandering around central London where I live. It's highly dangerous. Unlike India where their cows are holy."
"I can give you a checkup anyway," he brightly said.
"Will that tell me if I have mad cow disease?"
"No. I meant your pulse and blood pressure."
Oh, gosh, what's going to happen...?
Comments
Of course, that was back when John Selwyn Gummer was denying there was a problem, and feeding his daughter hamburgers in front of the cameras.
And there is a very long gestation time - 15-25 years - for mad cow....hmm... I could be due any day now...