Dentist

I went to the dentist today. Janet was the hygienist. I wouldn't recognize her without her clear safety goggles and breathing mask. I know a little about her. I know more about her than she knows about me. She used to work in the world of finance. She said it wasn't for her. She liked working with people. In midlife, she switched careers. That's what I'm planning on doing too someday. Janet never mentions a husband or children. She speaks of her nephews and nieces. Her nephew is a life guard at one of the water parks in town. I've taken Charlie there once. We had to wait for twenty minutes in line to get in. When we did finally make it inside, all the chairs were taken. I parked the stroller next to a sizeable flower planter. At least it was shady. I forgot sunscreen even though I brought everything else. I always bring more than we need. I grew up watching "Let's Make a Deal" with Monty Hall. It was a game show. Monty Hall had a nice smile.

Charlie lost one of his shoes at the pool that day. My wife Jill called and left a message, but the call wasn't returned. I wondered if Janet the hygienist's nephew took the call. She said he didn't really have a job, he just had fun all the time. That's what it's like being a stay at home dad. I wonder if everyone in Janet's family wears a breathing mask and clear safety goggles.

It's awkward to have my teeth cleaned. As Janet perched a mere twelve inches above my face, I tried not to stare at her. Charlie can get away with staring at people. He's a flirt. I focused on objects in the periphery of the room. A large and colorful map of the world was on the left side of the dental chair. I studied it for a while, trying to locate Malawi. A friend of ours went there on a medical mission. It didn't immediately pop out. Last night I watched a program on PBS about the formation of the Ethiopian Commodities Exchange. I have not been to Africa. I had a roommate who was from Kenya. I didn't realize how large an area Khazakstan covered. I found Gambia. Kunta Kinte was from Gambia before he was captured and sold into slavery.

The map was distracting. Janet used a super-sonic scraper to remove plaque and buildup from my teeth. She warned me it would be loud when she applied the tool to the wisdom teeth far back in my mouth. Charlie's babysitter is having her wisdom teeth pulled. She watched him the other night while Jill and I went to dinner. Jill says were gambling with her. She thinks that she won't be able to react swiftly enough in case of an emergency. She is just fourteen. I wonder sometimes too. She offers very little information about what she and Charlie do together. I had to go back into the house to retrieve something before we headed to dinner. When I walked in, I could hear Charlie laughing really hard in the back of the house. They have a good time together. I was a crossing guard at school when I was in the fifth grade. I wore a white nylon strap over my shoulder with a sliver badge pinned to it. I was most irresponsible at that age. Yet, on my watch, there was not a single fatality.

I wasn't able to look at the map as much as I wanted. Janet preferred working from my right side. She made me tilt my head toward her and to the right about eighty percent of the visit. That is why I am experiencing soreness in my neck. The only thing to look at on the right side, beyond Janet's gold earring was a red and white sticker on the wall that said 'RADIATION HAZARD'. I was feeling pretty good though. She told me my teeth were in excellent condition. I have never received such a report. Normally, I am scolded for my lack of flossing. I am gravely warned of the consequences of poor dental hygiene and am tortured into admitting that I haven't flossed as much as I have liked to floss. It was refreshing like the option to have either cherry or mint flavored paste for my cleaning. I didn't really experience much pain either. Admittedly, I have been conscious of taking better care of my teeth. Last time I had a filling, the dentist inserted the numbing needle too far into my gum and I almost passed out. I don't want to go through that again. I am tired of decay. I did stare at the loose skin on Janet's neck and the soft white hair on her ears. Her eyebrows were neatly groomed and plucked. I could've counted the hairs if I'd wanted to count them. Her eyes were milky green and focused on her task. I could see my open mouth in the reflection from her goggles. I only had to uncomfortably swallow twice when the fluid built up at the back of my throat. It is a marked difference from my previous visit when I thought I was going to drown at least six times.

The sonic scraper implement was loud when it reverberated right next to me ear. However it was not as splitting as Charlie's screams were yesterday when I took him out to eat for dinner. I had to wake him up from his nap to keep him on schedule and as a result he was very moody. I had spent the whole day and into the evening with him, because Jill had commitments and couldn't relieve me. I usually turn away from him or turn him out of my way to avoid having my eardrums popped by his shrill screams, but it's nearly impossible when trying to get him buckled into his car seat. And the fact that he's going into his car seat, makes the cries more desperate and piercing.

The bar attached to the ceiling was called (Dental Lighting Systems). It was made by Belmont. It made me think about the Belmont Stakes. I like watching horses run. It's never long enough.

I had made it through the cleaning with nothing but a sore neck. While Janet and I waited for the Dr. to arrive, she told me she was going to update my records to show that I've had two teeth extracted. It's congenital. They were both baby teeth. I have to save up for implants. I'd rather get a motorcycle.

Dr. Murray wears a pair of thick rimmed glasses with small binoculars attached to the lenses and the familiar breathing mask. He asks me about my family and if I have any big plans for the summer. I tell him that we are going to my Mom's house in Muncie next week. He asked if the trip was a vacation or a mandatory visit. Then he puts his hand in my mouth and I could only respond to him by grunting. I don't even know what I said. He concentrates his pick on one of my teeth. I feel it scraping and picking. He tells Janet that I have a small spot of decay. She is sorry for me. I am sorry for me. I had almost made it.