So, in one of my occasional efforts to pay back my debt to society I have booked an appointment to have some grumpy people suck a pint of blood out of my arm in exchange for an underwhelming biscuit and some tepid tea in a polystyrene cup. I booked said appointment in the usual way, online, and received the usual terse email confirming my alloted time... along with the following postscript:

***Attention Football Fans***

The last time we had a World Cup (2006), the summer blood stocks fell to their lowest level for six years and there is a concern this could happen again due to a lack of donor attendance at session when key matches are on.

We have noticed your donation appointment coincides with

Argentina Vs South Korea 12:30
Greece Vs Nigeria 15:00
France Vs Mexico 19:30

If you think this would affect your capability to attend the session on this date please contact us again by either re-submitting another form or call our donor helpline on 0300 123 23 23 to arrange an alternative time.

Now, I booked my appointment for 8.45 in the morning and I can't for the life of me think how a match between the might that is Greece vs Nigeria 6 hours later might prevent me from keeping my appointment. Or, in the words of the blood service, make me "incapable" of doing so. Frankly, this worries me. I can only think it's because you're not supposed to drink within 12 hours of giving blood. Well, you can if you want to, but the effects can be interesting.

It could all be academic anyway. I recently returned from the States, and apparently you can't give blood within a certain amount of time after returning from the USA because of... malaria. Yes, I kid you not: malaria. So, while I was freezing my arse off wrapped in my Boston, Massachusetts hoodie, I could well have been harboring a potentially deadly, mosquito-borne tropical disease. You learn something new every day.

* * * *
As a mildly creepy addendum, a friend of mine today booked her appointment, to coincide with mine (moral support and that sort of thing). As someone who freely admits that at best she lacks interest in the game, she was nonetheless surprised when she received an email confirming her appointment time, but not including the postscript about the day's fixtures. What I want to know is: WHAT DO THEY KNOW ABOUT US? AND HOW DO THEY KNOW IT???

I've said it before and I'll say it again: they're watching us... and this lot want your BLOOD...