Your eyes scanned past the hum of the crowd and found an odd looking waiting room behind some glass windows, with a single tall desk manned by a slightly bored looking woman.
Why not start there?
—————
“Welcome to the Donation Station, pal” rehearsed the raven haired attendant unphased by your entrance. “Giving or receiving?”
“Donation station?” you stammered, trying not to look clueless.
“Never heard of us?” she sighed, a familiar disappointment on her face. “They always forget to mention us at the front … well, at least we can make sure you remember us!” her frown transformed to a wink in an instant.
“So this is the Donation Station, well, maybe just the front of it. The real magic happens out back in the rooms. Here though I take care of the logistics”
“Logistics for what?” You stated, puzzled at the half-occupied chairs arranged like a waiting room.
“For donations, you doofus!”
You walked right into that one.
“Think of it like a matching service - somebody comes in here wanting to offload some trait or characteristic or whatever but can’t bother to find someone to give it to. I find them somebody who wants their donation and they go do the thing in the rooms back there.” She gestured flippantly at the row of doors along the back wall.
“And that’s it? Someone just gives a bit of themselves away?”
“Why not? Not a fan of sharing just to feel good?” she teased. “If warm feelings aren’t enough, one of the reasons people do it is that those who donate get bumped up the priority list to receive donations of their choice later … catch my drift?”
“So if I want to get something, I have to give something first?”
“Exactly! It’s great right? Super fair.”
The idea was pretty interesting, and the lady in charge certainly seemed enthusiastic. Looking around at the chairs you could tell there was plenty of traffic, with a few noticeable figures hanging around waiting to be called up. A couple exited one of the doors on the wall, a woman wiping her lips and walking tall followed by a shorter man beaming with a smile as he stumbled slightly over his own feet.
“I can tell you are interested. So what can I put you down as donating today?”