Posted on April 20, 2013 under Storytelling with one comment

Our granddaughter is just starting to teeth and, with any luck, will not inherit her clan’s predisposition for less than perfect teeth.  Most of us have been to the dentist at some point in our lives.  It is probably not on the list of one’s top three destinations.  For some people the thought of going to the dentist is almost as bad as a toothache.  The good news is that technology and equipment in dentists’ offices have improved and nowadays a trip to the dentist is a much more palatable exercise.  And, if you can find the right dentist, it can be something that a person might actually look forward to.

Many years ago I lived out west and was a client of an aging dental practitioner.  He was a wonderful, sweet man but going face to face with him was somewhat unsettling.  Kind of like stumbling upon a skunk.  Not life threatening but none too pleasant.  I am sure that his skill set in his early years was commendable but age, alcohol and tobacco had taken their toll.  I only scheduled an appointment with him when I was truly desperate.  We all know what that is like.

My appointments followed a pattern.   If I needed a filling he would examine me, just after having had a smoke.  I didn’t need to take up smoking; I just lived vicariously through his fingers. I only kicked my nicotine habit when I changed dentists.  He would then freeze my mouth and head for the diner down the street for another smoke and a coffee.  Sometimes he would get distracted and one more than one occasion, arrived back just after the freezing was wearing off.  The ensuing procedure was sort of like the crossroads between purgatory and hell.

I’m not about to suggest that my current dentist’s office will ever be mistaken for a comedy club, but I have rarely gone there where I didn’t hear laughter.  The staff is uncommonly friendly and there is always a good natured banter going on among them, their clientele and the dentists.  The only part of the exercise that is painful is paying the bill, but most of us spend more money on vehicle maintenance than we do on our teeth.

There is a certain vulnerability to lying in a dentist’s chair, especially when they fill your mouth with all manner of contraptions.  I am forever exchanging barbs with my dentist and it is frustrating when he insults me and I can’t say anything until the damn dam is out of my mouth.

I particularly enjoy my time with the dental hygienist.  We get caught up on all the news between the poking and prodding.  She invariably asks me if I floss.  The fact that I am in her chair with my mouth wide open is evidence that I don’t.  I usually pass on the stickers but she always dutifully gives me a new toothbrush and some dental floss.  I will use the toothbrush for its intended purpose and I keep the floss in the car.  I might come upon a brook and decide to do a little fishing.  The floss makes excellent fishing line for minnows.

Though I am getting long in the tooth, I will grit my teeth, fight tooth and nail and promise not to bite off more than I can chew.  I will never bad mouth my dentist especially when he is armed to the teeth.

Posted on April 19, 2013 under Storytelling with no comments yet

I noticed in the paper that this week is National Oral Health Week in Canada. A recent trip to my dentist prompted me to write a story about the experience. I feel quite certain that each and every one of you reading this has at least one dental story.

A few of our children weren’t big fans of the dentist… not our dentist in particular. It got so bad they he would come out to the car to examine them.This was certainly above and beyond the call of duty.

I’m working on a few other stories. Our youngest daughter is expecting her first child any day now. This will be our third grandchild. Most people are aware of the challenges that women go through with childbirth but what about their husbands? This is a male perspective on the joys of childbirth. I am almost certain that I am going to get into trouble over this one!

 

Posted on April 18, 2013 under Storytelling with one comment

If you are first time visitor to my blog, thank you for checking in. If you want to view recent stories, simply scroll down the page. They are all there.

We all have had a few days to digest the events from Boston this past Monday. The devastation that this has wreaked on so many innocent people is incalculable. It’s hard to believe that someone could go out and cheer on, not only friends and family members, but everyone who is running, and then find yourself in a hospital with a shattered body. Or worse. I am like many who cannot stop thinking about that little boy and his family.

Boston is so unique. The marathon is a festival and more than a million people line every square inch of the route. They cheer as wildly for you as they do for people they know. And they stand there for hours upon hours.They pass you food and drink and high fiving small children is such a joy. This is what makes this tragedy so hard to deal with.

The response to my story on the events of Monday has been something else. People from such far flung areas as Kuwait, Australia, France, Norway and Mexico, have checked in on my blog. And I have received dozens upon dozens of texts, e-mails, Facebook posts and calls. I want to share any credit for the story with my wife Betty who edits all of my work. I wrote this story at 4:00 a.m. the morning after the bombings. I hadn’t slept well and just had to get my thoughts on paper. When I got to the end, I didn’t have much left in the tank. My ending was weak and while I was showering for work, she replaced my ending with the last paragraph that you see in the story.

My running partner, Charlene and I will travel to Halifax on Monday for a memorial run in Point Pleasant Park to commemorate the victims and the injured. Please keep all of these people in your thoughts and prayers.

…. and have a great day!

Len