May As Well Get Something Out of It

If you are going to sit in a chair, similar to one found in your elementary school nurse's office, have a hollow needle jabbed in your skin, and willingly hand over a pint of your own bodily fluids, I say you should get something out of it.
I was having the worst work day ever and the Red Cross Bloodmobile was parked outside the office.  Never having given blood because I was convinced I was a slow bleeder, I decided I would rather face my fears and get drained than sit at my desk a second longer.  Out to the portable vampire I went and was surprised to find out that it wasn't that bad.  I was even more delighted to find out that I got to inhale mounds of cookies and juice like a kindergartner at snack time.  "Take some with you!"  the nurses told me, probably not realizing that I would make off with enough mini juice cans to satisfy my sister's lust for cranberry juice for a week.  I also may have confiscated a half dozen Lorna Doone's and some raisins...
My point is, I'm giving up my time and blood, so I'm going to take advantage of what their handing out.  Once I got a free pound of Dunkin Donuts coffee and another time a free oil change (which I never used, but that's beside the point).  So if your hesitant about giving blood, wait until you get a free t-shirt or an awesome coupon.  That way, it's not a total loss--bodily and monetarily.
The main reason I kept going back to the Bloodmobile while I worked at The Fortress of Doom was not because of the free cookies, however.  I got to escape for at least an hour while enjoying raisins and finding out what my blood pressure was (cheaper than the doctor!).  Sometimes I milked it longer because no manager is going to tell you that you can't go give blood--even the trolls of The Fortress weren't that cruel.  No one can say no to volunteering, it's not ethical.  It's like they are guaranteed a donkey ride to hell if they deny you.  So, the perks are as follows:
1) Get out of work (if you have a Bloodmobile)
2) Free cookies
3) Free juice
4) That pink arm bandage that shows to everyone else that you were an awesome person today and gave blood.
5) The nurses tell you to not exercise for the next few hours since you may still be weak from giving blood--don't have to tell me twice!

In essence, if you're giving something, you should get something.  Selfish?  Probably.  But I'm doing them a favor.  Also, I have two months of phone calls demanding more of my blood to look forward to.  Tit for tat, Red Cross, tit for tat.