About Pulling Teeth

Post 1118:

            People worry too much. Seriously, what’s the big deal? Yeah, maybe everything’s wrong and whatnot. Still, roll with it. Things will work out. Let me give you an example.

            I had a toothache on and off for about a year. When I first tried to get it fixed, Covid was just getting going and everything was seriously shut down, especially up where I lived. Anyway, I just sort of let it go. Play through the pain, I always say. It’s how we were raised. Living off the land and such, hunting and gathering.

            None of that happened. I’m a suburban boy through and through. I don’t hunt and I rarely if ever gather.

            So the tooth got worse and better until it only got worse. A couple months ago I go in and they take all the rays and the pictures and they make me bite down on those things that hurt really bad and cut up your gums and then boom, there’s the problem.

            The bad tooth is a wisdom tooth, he says. Funny, I retort, because I thought I had my wisdom teeth removed back in the day. No, says he, those teeth were indeed unwise. He sends me to another guy and they take out the wisdom teeth on one side of my dumb face.

            About a month goes by. I’m thinking all is well. Smooth sailing. All good and all that. There’s a bit of residual pain but it’s nothing compared to the pain I was in. The point is, there’s nothing to worry about.

            Until a couple weeks ago. I bite into something and my head explodes. I hit the balls of a nerve and the whole thing just tweaks out. My face hurts so bad it punishes me when I walk. I mumble at the dentist that I’m coming back in. Something ain’t right, dude.

            Turns out, they pulled the wrong tooth. It happens, right? He didn’t seem all that worried about it. Apparently life just throws us curveballs every so often.

            My problem was that I was one of those people that thought doing a good job and being reliable were important traits that you kind of had to worry about.

            Turns out, not a thing. At least not anymore. The guy still got paid. Hell, he got paid more. Extra teeth. What was I going to do, literally grin and bear it? Nope.

            After I got the correct tooth yanked, I walked out and saw the guy smiling to one of his cute nurses, talking about his kids’ private school or the new Mercedes SUV his wife or mistress just got. Not a care in the world. No consequences. No recourse. No worries. Am I right?

            Nah, I’m kidding. That guy sucked. Don’t be like him. Care. But don’t be like me. I worry too much. And brush your teeth. Cheers and see you after.