And here I was for my second visit a few days later. As my readers might remember I was sent off on a mission to get my X-rays washed. That mission was accomplished with the help of two cute nurses and the dentist had cleaned and done the first part of RCT that day itself.
So, the next Wednesday, I slipped out of office by 12.30p.m.This time, I knew the procedure. Walk straight to the room and knock. No response. I discover the door is locked. A passing nurse asked me to wait. The dentist had gone for an early lunch.
Twenty minutes later, I see the dentist walking up the stairs.
“Come on in,” she led me into the consulting room and directed me to that chair.
“Where’s the X-ray?”, she asked the nurse. “How may missed calls?”, she continued to the nurse who plugging the doc’s mobile to charge.
“Antony chetan had called”
“Oh no!, Hope he is not coming back today. Such a dumbhead”
“ Another number…”and she read out mine.
“ Mine” , I volunteered.
“ We’ll need the red, yellow and white”
“The white is the last box we have”
The last two exchanges sounded Greek.
Then she put the X-ray on a stand and asked me open up wide.
The she took something that looked like a drill and compared the length of root. She went on yapping away.
“Yesterday it was Ann’s fancy dress competition. She was dressed like Sakuntala and did she act well. She lay down on the stage writing a letter to the king.. And they asked her to clear off because she overstayed in the position. Boy, was she angry that she could not pluck the thorn off her foot. She had rehearsed it so well”. ( Ann was the doc’s little 4yr old and a regular brat)
“ Where did you get the dress from?”, asked the nurse.
“From that lending place near the railway bridge”
“ And where was your husband then?”
“Oh! Him. He had taken mummy to the ayurveda therapist for a chavitti thirumbu(massage by feet on back)”
“Why?”
“ The scooter accident last month”
“Owww” said I
“ What is it- pain or that funny feel”
“ Funny feel”
“It’s OK. Spit”
“Keep the suction ready”
“ Ah. Where was I? Isn’t it funny that you pay some one to get kicks on back?”, she continued”
Knock. Knock
The nurse moved to the door and opened it.
“ Oh1 Antony chetan”
Doc spins around all smiles. “ What is it?”
“ You said you liked the wallpaper on my mobile. I remembered it half way home. Give me your mobile. I will download it for you.”
This conversation helped me immensely. My jaw dropped and it made working inside easier for doc.
Antony chetan downloaded and went back a happy man, having done his duties.
“ What does he do for a living? Seems like having no job other than rushing squirrels up the trees.”, said she returning to wide open mouth.
Dentist: “Just check if that woman is there. I asked her to have lunch and she said she had carrot juice. Hope she hasn’t swooned”
Nurse peeks out and nods affirmatively. And adds,” she is lying down on the bench”
“Hand me the white ones”, and she pushed that thin conical thing into my cavity.
“ Red, yellow, white again.” This went on for a while. Then they switched of the fan.
“ There, now you have a nice broom inside your mouth to keep it clean” And she showed me the inside of mouth in a mirror. And indeed, the whole box of those things were in my mouth.
And now we burn the extra end off and she put on the mask. Fumes came out my mouth. I forgot to breathe. I shut my eyes. My mouth is on fire.
“Now close you mouth. Perfect. Ok. Done”
A visit to the dentist isn’t that bad after all with all that free entertainment.
On my way out, I saw the frail woman on the bench. I knew she will be alright with this doc and nonstop entertainment.