The conscience of a blood-seller.

 

 

 

I used to have a friend who would drink a lot of water before having his blood taken,

expecting the water to thin the blood and add to its quantity. After a bad day in which he failed to earn enough money to buy food for his younger siblings, he would stay

the night at a laborers' shelter and go to the University Hospital at daybreak to sell his blood.

 

I have no way to forget the image of a youth in the thin light of dawn trying to take in as much water as he can at a hospital watertap. Neither can I forget the expression on his face as he declared that the cheating, of thinning the blood, did not offend his conscience. A resolute expression, condemning himself as an immoral person. Yet it betrayed the fact that actually  his conscience suffered a lot. Pitiable too was his ignorant belief that the water would go directly into the blood vessels to mix with the blood.

 

He was just a brother who wanted a little more blood to sell to feed his siblings, and a laborer who wanted a little more blood spared for the next day's work.

 

I believe his conscience did not have to be offended, even if the water did succeed to

enter the blood vessels and lowered the quality of the blood. I believe so because I know what purpose the unfair advantage was intended for.

 

(by Shenzi)