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…