Dental Health

I sat in the very comfortable waiting room completely alone, except for the distracted receptionist. It was the swankiest dental office I've ever seen--antique golf equipment, expensively matted prints, and shiny, dark cherry furnitue were accented by dramatic, red walls and thick upholstery. It flashed through my mind that I can't trust any recommendations from this doctor--he needs to cash in on any possible procedure to pay for all of this...

As I filled out five sheets of ill-thought-out forms (which asked for several pieces of exactly the same information to be rewritten in three different places), I got even more irritated--Extra charges for missing or being late for an appointment. I glanced at the clock--I had gotten to the office 20 minutes early and it was now 8 minutes beyond my appointment time. I had a desperate urge to walk up to the receptionist and demand $20 since it was they who were late. Then I envisioned having my dentist attack me with one of those sharp, curved, picky things and changed my mind.

Just then, the phone rang. Eventually, the half which transpired within my earshot caught my attention:

"Oh, I'm glad you are being careful."

"Yes, but it will definitely pass."

"Oh, not yet, then."

(nervous chuckle) "Well, I guess you could use rubber gloves."

"Yes, it does happen sometimes."

"Oh, I am sorry to hear that."

"It certainly will."

"I suppose you can search for it if you like."

"Okay, see you tomorrow, then."

She turned to a colleague who was walking by and said, "Mrs. Watkins will be in tomorrow. One of her crowns came loose during Thanksgiving dinner and she accidentally swallowed it."