Dentists, Artichokes and Red Dresses

I lean back in the recliner, the one with the bright light shining into my face, next to a white ceramic bowl in which I can spit as necessary.

I am ready, as ready as I will ever be for having this next stage of dental work.

My Mexican dentist, latest credentials from North Carolina comes from a “dental family’’, his mother, his brothers are dentists. The equipment is more advanced than I have seen in any dentist office in the US or other country.

I lie back, connect my earphones to a meditation channel, hoping to drum out the drill sounds.

I want to transport myself from this location, pleasant as it is with all its hanging philodendrons, skylights, and caring assistants.

I begin to think of artichokes. Yes, artichokes. Is there a better topic to consider while reclining in a dental chair? Hardly.

On California’s Central Coast, I drive on narrow roads dividing the artichoke fields. All the better if harvesters are in the fields, cutting, then tossing them in their open backpacks or canasta as they are called. The chokes end up on plates from New York to down the road in Castroville, the artichoke capital of the world.

Years ago my company had a contract with an artichoke advisory board which at the time wanted to increase children’s knowledge of and experience with artichokes. I hope children enjoyed the game we designed for them.