This afternoon I had an appointment with the dentist. (It was just a routine cleaning [thank goodness], but still….) Those who know me know that I have some semi-dramatic dental phobia; I’ve had too much trauma done to my mouth, both as a kid and as an adult. (I had 10 years of braces [complete with face gear], 8 teeth extractions [4 teeth removed all at once when I was 10 years old; another 4 teeth removed at once when I was 18], oral surgery [performed when I was 30 – which resulted in permanent nerve damage on the right side of my face]…) So any time I have to go to the dentist, I’m a little ‘tense’.
But, I “put on my big-girl panties” (as one of my good friends likes to say), sucked it up, and went to the dentist. When I arrived to her office, two older gentlemen were in the waiting room. One man was in his 60s, the other in his 80s. The sixty-year-old was rummaging in the refrigerator the dentist has stocked with beverages, looking for something tasty to drink. As I sat down in an empty chair, the man looked at me and asked, “Can I get you anything, young lady?”
Lately I have been noticing myself getting older. While I’m certainly not “old”, my skin is starting to show some signs of aging. As is my hair. And I can feel my body begin to shift and change, too. Ugh. So when this lovely gentleman called me “young lady”, I beamed. I felt like I was 20 again; and even if it only lasted for a moment, it still felt great.
I politely declined the beverage offer; but when I spoke, the 80-year-old man looked at me, and said to his friend, “Not only is she young, but she’s pretty, too!” Boy, these two are charmers, I tell ya…. I smiled at him, and said in a teasing voice, “Ah, but I’m a married woman, so don’t go getting any ideas!” and then laughed. And both of the gentleman looked at me, paused, blinked, (mentally processed what I had just said, I think), and then laughed, too.
It felt wonderful to have such good-natured fun in a place I typically dread. I offer many thanks to these two kidders for making my afternoon brighter; and I’m happy I was able to reciprocate a bit, too. 🙂
Stef
I can picture it with your description and it made me smile, too.
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🙂 You seem to have a very good mind for visualization… love it!
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My old dentist used to be in a room with a swirly pattern on the ceiling. I would lie back in the chair with dread and look deep into the swirls until I found the hidden pixie face who would help me to relax while the work was being done. As much as I tried to tell my girls where the pixie was, they never managed to find it – it would seem he was only there to make me relax and no one else 🙂
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I think it’s fun to find the faces in patterns… and I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one who does this. 🙂
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i dread going to dentists, too! When i hear the word, i always associate it with pain. 😥
i remember when i had to have a tooth extracted, my knees were literally shaking after the procedure…
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They are just no fun; I *truly* feel your pain. Perhaps no more dental trauma for you for a while, though? I hope so!
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How cute! Some older people are just adorable, aren’t they? 🙂
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Some older people really are quite special. These two gentlemen absolutely were! 🙂
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