Dentist?!

I'm sure dentists are really nice people.

I guess they must

play with their kids,

work hard,

pay their taxes,

and obey traffic laws.

I'm sure they must

give compliments and kiss their spouses.

But I must say I hate seeing them.

I had to get a root canal and a couple of cavities filled.

I cried and shook when they stuck me with that needle

That numbed the upper right side of my face for the next

four hours.

Then I picked a spot just over Dr. Nielsen's shoulder 

and stared at it intently while they worked on me.

As they scrapped, poked, and pulled thoughts went through my head like,

"What the heck are you sticking in my mouth?"

And

"What's that for?"

And

"What the heck does that mean?"

. . . You know. . .

When they speak that secret language that only dentists know?

Calling my teeth by their code names.

The sound of the scraps resonated in my skull for hours

When I came out I was practically running out of the place.

I'm proud to say that it was the first time I have gone to the dentist

by myself

and had actual work done

and didn't feel super overwhelmed by nerves.

Sure I was nervous,

but not completely overwhelmed.