An Evening at the Dentist's Clinic

  •   Sat, Apr 09 2011
  •   by Robin Dyson Almeida

April 10, 2011


I’m sure this has happened to everyone. There no point pretending that I’m the only person in the whole wide world this sort of incident has happened to.

There I was, innocently biting into my gulab jamun while watching Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa, on my laptop, when a shooting pain in my teeth forced me to drop the bowl of thick sugar syrup all over my bare legs. Nothing fell on my laptop thankfully, and I spent the rest of the morning cleaning the room and myself. Only later did I realize that my teeth needed to be checked by a dentist.

So, that evening, I walked over to a nearby clinic and got an appointment for a later time that same evening. I walked in at the appointed hour and sat on a plush couch, reading a copy of the latest Outlook magazine and getting rapidly bored.

I must have dozed off because the receptionist shook me vigorously and told me that the doctor was ready for me. In my groggy state, I yawned and mumbled, "Finally. Thank you," when she slapped me hard. I was stunned. I held my cheek where she slapped me while she said, "What did you say??"

Now, a normal human being would’ve asked this before slapping someone, but she was a rare creature I guess.

"I said ‘Finally, thank you’" I told her angrily, still clutching my face.

"Oh!" she said, eyes widened in shock and apology. "I thought you said some swear word. You mumbled so I couldn’t hear properly! I’m sorry! I’m really sorry!"

Leaving her in the subservient state, I walked into the dentist’s room. He was sitting in the center of the room on a stool, placed in front of a horrifying dentist’s chair, which had all the evil accoutrements one usually associates with the murderous, villainous doctors in horror movies – gleaming silver instruments that were sharp enough to rip someone’s brains out through their noses. I gulped and stood there.

He saw me clutching my face and said, "Hurts, does it?"

"What?" I said, confused, and realized that I was still holding my face. I quickly put my hand down and said, "No no, your receptionist slapped me just now."

He didn’t seem surprised. "Third one today," he said resignedly. "I have to fire her. Anyway, take a seat, please," he said pointing to the torture chair. I looked strangely at him and sat down. He said, "Okay, let me see…" and shined a flashlight into my mouth and peered around. I could see the bright overhead light and the dentist’s masked silhouette as he assessed my dental strength.

"There’s some plaque," he said. "I’ll get my associate to do something about it," and he walked out, leaving me in the chair, mouth open, with a torture device sticking out of it. I twirled my thumb and waited until a short, stocky woman came in and started poking around in my mouth with a metal device that hurt like hell.

Five minutes later, it was all over and she announced, "We’ve removed the plaque. That’ll be 1200 rupees."

So, I paid up and walked out and I couldn’t help but feel that I’d been cheated out of something. As soon as I stepped out, I saw the brilliance of the dentist’s business plan – his clinic was right next to a bakery! I could see breads and cakes and doughnuts calling out to me from within, and cursing my weak will, I went in and bought a fresh sugar doughnut and bit into it.

Just as I was about to wipe the sugar crumbs off my face, the short, stocky woman dentist walked into the same bakery, bought some sweets and gave me a knowing smile and walked out.

"Damn", I said to myself as I walked back home, enjoying my doughnut.

 

Robin Almeida - Archives:
by Robin Dyson Almeida
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Comment on this article

  • Roshan, Mangalore

    Wed, Apr 13 2011

    The receptionist slapping sounds too much exaggerated, can one imagine in a plush dentists office, the receptionist slapping a patient!!!! The nanrration seems to be too over stated.

    Further what is the content of the article? What does the writer try to convey to the reader? What is the significance or connection between the dentist’s clinic and bakery next to it? Bits and pieces look unconnected.

    I have read and enjoyed Robin’s other articles, this one doesn’t live up to the expectations. Look forward for more from him, of course better than the current. Roshan

  • Antony Herbert Crasta, Mangalore/Sydney,Australia

    Tue, Apr 12 2011

    Visiting the Dentist and getting the treatment is never a pleasant experience, especially it hurts more than the toothache itself when paying for the services, and the writer`s case was no exception. Unlike the General Medical Practisioners, who see umpteen number of patients a day, and therefore, the costs are distributed amongst those large numbers, resulting in moderate fees, the Dentists generally get to see a limited number of patients, and therefore, I suppose they have to charge them rather exhorbitant fees. Moreover, the investment in the dental instruments and machinery is large, and naturally, the dental treatment is going to be always expensive. By the way, no, I am not a Dentist, and don`t get the idea that I am defending their cause. Incidentally, the dental treatment is very cheap in India as compared to this part of the world, where mere extraction of a tooth could cost approximately Rs.3,000 and a fifteen minutes plaque cleaning job Rs.6,000!

  • Marie D'Souza,

    Mon, Apr 11 2011

    I like your smile and the writeup.Enjoy reading articles from you.

    God Bless
    Marie


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