Kevin We’re coming down to the wire for the holiday season, and it’s kicked into high gear. The last day of work before the holiday break went strangely for me, mainly cuz I spent the entire day waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Technically, it’s a day off for me, but it isn’t at the same time. I’ve gotta get the bus downtown, and I somehow forgot to write down the time after I booked an appointment w/ the dentist to get the rest of my wisdom teeth out. The place they referred me to didn’t have a timeslot that would work w/ my day job schedule, and the times that did, I was always at another site, and wouldn’t have made it there in time anyways. Otherwise, I was at my summer job.
So, the dentist it was. This was all gonna be over soon.
I got there early, and realized the appointment wouldn’t be for another hour and a half. No worries! I’ll go find something to do while I’m in the building lobby, and maybe check out the restaurants there to see what’s what.
It’s time. This was a long time coming, and the sooner I’m rid of these wisdom teeth, the better. I’m old as shyt to be getting my wisdom teeth pulled, but whatever. It’s a risk I’m willing to take if it means they’re gone. Hell, if I still had the mobility to do it, I’d take a pair of pliers and yank the sons of bytches out myself.
I’m back in the dentist’s chair, listening to the playlist that clearly isn’t a radio station, and I recognize some of the songs from my short lived alt-rock era.
The dentist shoots me up w/ the local anesthetic, and it takes a few tries before we’re ready. I feel so tired, and I take a little nap while we’re waiting. I dream I’m back at my old house as Semisonic’s Closing Time plays, just as it did when I was in 7th grade.
For a time there, in my head, I was back at my old house.
I didn’t realize swallowing my own spit was a team effort, but it is. I feel the dentist pulling and poking, but that’s it. The dentist had to take this little device that poked a hole in the tooth to break it up and get it out in pieces, and it took a few tries.
I didn’t know this until I heard the dentist ask for a tool, and then say my tooth was bobbing like a cork. It really didn’t wanna come out. Pry it up from the gumline, it suctioned back. It finally gave up the ghost, and the dentist described the last piece of it as looking like a macaroni noodle.
True, it does. I even got to keep it as a souvenir of our fun times together! It felt weird when he stitched up the hole, and seeing that come from my mouth was something else. It was close enough to where I could see it, but I had the bite guard in my mouth, and I felt nothing from the anesthetic.
We were only able to do one tooth since there was a time crunch, and the other one’s coming out next. I left w/ some gauze, and the pieces of that wisdom tooth souvenir. My mouth was full of gauze, and my mouth was numb AF on top of it.
This dinosaur of an asshole got on the elevator, and made the choice to say something about my looks, all while eye-fucking me the whole time. Sad to say this is typical, and I wish it didn’t have to be this way. One thing’s for sure, going forward, the minute I see a guy getting on the elevator, and I’m the only other one on it, I’m getting out of it, no matter what the cost is to me. I’m betting dollars to donuts he wouldn’t have acted this way if there were others on the elevator, since he knows that shyt won’t fly in public.
I’m just glad I never gotta see that jerk fuck ever again after that, and I hope I never do.
I duke out the walk to the bus station. This is way more exhausting than it should’ve been, I notice as the hole in my mouth starts throbbing w/ each step. I’m thankful I decided against my gold butterfly platform shoes, and besides, it’s too cold for em this time of year anyways.
Against my better judgement, I decide to get my step count up and try to meet the December challenge. I didn’t succeed, but it wasn’t for lack of trying.
I’m so glad that tooth is now gone. It’s soft food for me for the week ahead, so basically it’s mashed potatoes and baby food for me. Fine. I’d rather spend a holiday season w/ mashed potatoes and baby food than spend it how it played out for me in the past.
As bad as my holiday seasons have been for me in the past, this is a million times better. I can think of worse ways to spend a holiday season, and this is peanuts in the scheme of things. I thought I’d go for a walk, but I’m just not feeling so great. I can make up for it tomorrow after I’m done at my summer job.
I got the tree up later than I usually do, but I’m keeping it up at least into the new year like usual. I’m in the front room, w/ the tree directly in my line of fire. I found my favorite Victorian Christmas candle in the old two-drawer side table that I’m now using as candle storage. I’m counting my blessings, and I’m thankful to be where I’m at now. Sure, I’m scared of the new year, but it hasn’t happened yet. That’ll change soon enough, imo.
Missed the previous installments? No worries! I gotcha covered, right here: 38, 37, 36
