Perhaps it was due to Mom being a Nurse, or perhaps it was the initial capitalist beginning to establish itself within me, but immunizations and blood giving were profitable and life threatening to me simultaneously.

I think my brother was about 13 and although we didn't look a lot alike, he being ugly and all, I had conceived a plan that would allow me to make some fa loose and not suffer the needle killers in white. At the time, we got 300 SR for giving blood, but could only go every six weeks, which meant that as a returning student you were limited. My brother, still in school and although now very bright, was easily led astray. Most of the bloodletting was done by three Pakistani Male nurses, or at least I was never able to prove my theory that they were escaped psycho's who loved the draining of small children. Always thought the bottle had a five gallon look to it, rather than a pint.

So I told my brother that he could get 20 SR by just going in and giving a little blood, use my student ID and bring me back the chittie. I therefore sent him in on a Wednesday at 8:00am and he gave a pint, back at 4:30pm, shift change, and gave another. I collected the 600 SR and generously gave him the 20SR. He looked a little weak, but after all, he had the weekend to get up and around. The following week I went in and did it myself after throwing a fit at the Nurse's station about how could I have been there last week, look at me for crying out loud...it was obvious to the American Nurses who had some scorn for their Pakistani counterparts that an error had been made. therefore, I also gave blood, twice, and in a period of five days made a cool 1,200 SR. Less the damn 20SR I had to give up...but hey, sometimes you have to share.

Speaking of sharing brings to light the shots we had to get to leave, once again, like magic I was able to substitute and although he was a little ill for a week, I knew he would survive the double doses....yet, like all good plans of mice and rats, there was a fatal flaw...

Mom was a Nurse and although she normally worked the Saudi side, by chance she was gossiping, how else would she have put it together and thus my defense of heresy, although that too failed. The sky darkened for no reason that day and drums were heard to roll, but I was a brave lad, and had gone on a major shopping spree in Khobar and thus was blissfully unaware that a full confession had been coerced out of my brother, imagine, your own Mother bribing your brother for 5 SR when I had to give him 20SR..I made the mortal mistake, upon returning to the scene of the crime, of first, totally denying the whole thing, then upon hearing that she had paid him, demanding a full refund from my brother, who still looked awful white and pale, but I figured a few hours in the sun would correct that.

Mom figured a few hours in the sun might be good for me, staked out and a Camel fed prune juice standing over me might be a fair description of what her plans were.

Needless to say, I had the full range of shots, and some extra that I think were nothing but sterile water for good measure, yet I seem to recall one of the Pakistani's, who incidently all got in trouble, filing a syringe from a commode, but I'm not real clear on that as I was going in and out of reality what with all the shots, I figured at the time about seventy five...Before this time I never imagined that you could throw a syringe from across the room, or start at a full run and jab like a jousting knight and ride past with a giant grin....

Worse, I had to give up what money was left, my goodies from Khobar were given to my brother and I was once again, inevitably grounded.

To get a shot today requires some form of persuasion, such as a fatal cold or needing a Tetanus shot due to one accident or another.

Another day about "Physicals"..........

Michael Crocker (DH 65) Nacogdoches, Texas

" By the Brats, Of the Brats, For the Brats"

Date: Wed, 12 Jun 1996 09:36:56 -0500