Out for blood
(May 31, 2007) The sky above our heads was inky black. But the sky on the horizon was not dark at all. It was shot with crimson, like a splash of blood.
— Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
Thankfully, there were no splashes of blood on the Northern California Community Blood Bank’s Bloodmobile last Monday, although blood bank nurse Judy Frey did have a copy of Rebeccaon hand for the slower moments. Not that they wouldn’t be prepared for a splash: There’s an arsenal of code-named products aboard to keep things safe and sanitary, such as red wipes, blue wipes, purple tops, smelling salts and something called a sharps container (tip: Don’t open it). A drawer labeled “Donor Pants and T-Shirts” is stocked in case someone needs a loaner.
Frey, along with Donor Care Specialists (the ones who poke you) Celeste Kofi and Jed Cruz, who were parked at First and I Street in Eureka, had only seen one donor so far, and it was already almost 3 p.m.
“There’s a lot of downtime,” said Kofi, who had brought along Marian Keyes’ novel Watermelon for such occasions. “It’s unpredictable.”
“You just can’t anticipate it,” said Frey.
The previous Saturday, Kofi said, she had been so inundated with donors that she’d had to call for backup. Thankfully, the donors — and the blood — started trickling in soon enough. Jim Clark, a supervisor at the Humboldt Office of Environmental Health, stepped aboard.
“How are you?” asked Cruz.
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on the cover
Railroad!
Proposed lines ‘set rich blood a-tingling’ in early 1900s
Some Other Proposed North Coast Railroads
Choo-choo Fantasies
Exposing this east-west rail nonsense
seven-o-heaven
Undeterred Will
Will chides Andrew for lack of attention to detail and makes plans for his inevitable victory.
Recent short stories
June 11, 2009
Eye of the Beholder
June 11, 2009
Double Down
May 21, 2009
Pearls and Swine
Hank Sims
Today
44th Annual Kinetic Grand Championship Race
STAFF PICK / events, art, outdoors, sports, for kids, free / 9 a.m.-6 p.m. A 3-day, 42-mile kinetic sculpture race over land, sand, mud and water! LeMans start at the Noon Whistle on the Arcata Plaza. Follow the race through Manila, Eureka and into Ferndale on Memorial Day for the Glorious Finish. kineticgrandchampionship.com. 889-3024.
Flow 2012 Fashion Show
STAFF PICK / events / 8 p.m. Arcata Theatre Lounge, 1036 G St. Student designed and produced clothing. Fundraiser for Arcata Arts Institute. $35/$25 students. artsinstitute.net. 822-1220.
Woodside Preschool's Rummage/Bake Sale
events / 8 a.m.-noon. Woodside Preschool, 900 Hodgson St, Eureka. www.woodsidepreschool.com. 445-9132.
Lanphere Dunes Restoration
STAFF PICK / outdoors / 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Meet at Pacific Union School. Help remove non-native invasives at the Lanphere Dunes Unit of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Tools and gloves provided, wear work clothes and bring water. Carpool to the protected site. 444-1397.
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