I need more iron

I was hoping to do my bit for my fellow men, or women, today, by giving some of my blood away. Off I went to blood suckers, ooops, I mean blood donors, waited in the queue because I didn't have an appointment, chatted to a nice lady, had a drink, then it was my turn. I handed my form over with all the questions answered and all the right boxes ticked, and the nice nurse pricked my finger and took a sample. This is put into a test tube full of pinky liquid to see if it sinks within the required time. Oh dear, the beeper went and it hadn't sunk.

Then we moved to another table where she stuck a needle in my arm to take a bigger sample, I chuckled as I thought of Tony Hancock all those years ago in that classic comedy, The Blood Donor. The line, 'very nearly an armfull', is so funny. We waited while she did her stuff, and put my blood into a machine, the verdict, oh dear, not enough iron. She thanked me for coming and said they couldn't take my blood that day, because I need it more than they did. I must remember to drink a pint of Guiness before I go next time.