Chez le dentist

Last week I got a phone call from a dentist's clinic telling me that I was due for a 'clean-up.' Considering I've never had one before, nor announced to anyone about wanting one, I was a bit astonished when she asked me if the next Saturday 10:00 am was suitable for me.

I'd been to this dentist about eight months ago to have some wisdom (teeth) extracted. And he'd mentioned then that it would be good for me to have a clean-up and it was essential to have one every six months.

Very efficient secretary. Within 30 seconds of the phone call, I'd been 'confirmed' for my appointment, and received a reminder phone call and message two days before the appointment. And yes, this morning, at 10:30 I found myself hurrying to the dentist's clinic where the efficient secretary brushed me into the room with the funky chair, funky lights, and I'm not even going to mention the menacing poky things lying all around.

In the next 5 minutes, the dentist politely made a few jokes, caused me a reasonable amount of discomfort, and earned Rs. 700, all while listening to a slimy Daniel Bedingfield song on his World Space gadget.

The dentist then suggested that I could do with a slight tooth-straightening. Which I translated as him suggesting that I pay him Rs 20,000 in exchange for rubber-banded clams on my teeth for a year and a half. All this to add aesthetic 'face' value.

I said, no thanks. Especially since just 2 days ago someone mentioned that my slightly large front tooths make me resemble Hermione Granger. So, no thanks.

And gah to all efficient secretaries, who while bidding me goodbye noted down my name in her busy diary, and casually mentioned that she would be calling me soon to fix an appointment to fill up a tiny cavity the dentist had seen. Hmmp.