Dressing up to go to the Dentist

the receptionist admires my linen dresses and my fleet of (2) cars / the PT Cruiser and the Dodge Dart / the dentist compliments me on my bracelets

a morning conversation with my coffee cup led me to think it was time to get out a little more / have a "social" life

in a small town like Moab going to the dentist is a social occasion

one day the receptionist wore a handknitted vest that she had made so this morning i took a shawl i had knitted from my handspun / next time she said she will wear a sweater that her father had knitted for her / i cant wait

on the wall is a painting by my neighbor who is a popular collectible local artist / he built my screen doors and put up posts and beams for our new shed

the dentist and his wife who is also a dentist are training interns so there is a running instructional commentary going on as the dental work proceeds / this is both illuminating and endearing

over the weekend the dentist and his wife went to the Grand Canyon / during intervals when not drilling (zzzzzzzzz) he describes the South Rim and the North Rim as well as architectural features and shares legendary stories of the Grand Canyon and of Powell's trip down the river / he is a photographer with an artist's eye

background music / i hear BaBaBaBarbara Ann/ takes me back to another era / then some early Beatles / i notice the only music i actually "hear" is music i am already familiar with

i am not keen on going to the dentist / too many awful experiences when i was younger especially in the '40's when the slow speed drill ground on and on accompanied by the smell of burning tooth enamel

a couple of years ago when i was a relative newcomer to Moab a piece of an old crown broke off / i was leaving for the east coast the next day / the broken spot was sharp / i had not yet gone to a dentist in Moab so i went to about 6 different dental clinics hoping to find someone who would bump off the sharp edge despite my lack of appointment

Dr F was the only one who said yes i can see you if you can wait a few minutes / so now he is the dentist i choose to see