Despite the 10 hours of tattoo work that he flaunts from between the buttons of his hospital gown, a lab draw is still more terrifying than a policeman's taser. I donate blood every year, and that 16 gauge straight needle stays in the whole time. I don't need a tattoo to prove I'm tough. My service to my community is twice as scary as taking a bullet, and blame, for a friend trying to steal a car. At least, that's what my patient thinks. But every once in a while, a patient tells you something that makes you think.