It’s Tuesday and once again I slept a little bit later than usual since Terry is my co-pilot this week. Man it’s going to suck when she leaves. It’s great having her around and it’s great having someone to sit next to and talk to at various points of the day. Plantain Man was in a state of arousal again which leads me to believe he is popping Viagra. He’s a nice guy and quite the tease. A little smile as he places the change in my hand, saying thank you.

A drawback from sleeping later is the Path train is that much more crowded. A better dressed crowd though at least the men are from what I can tell. Most of the women are sitting and hidden amongst the straphangers. Nice bullish men in suits that are filled out quite nicely. I don’t understand how people can fall into such a deep sleep on the train though I do recall when I used to take a bus or a van into the city from Weehawken there would be an occasional snore from one of the seats. Me? I’ve nodded out once or twice while trying to read the New Yorker or some book, but I always caught myself, or so I’d like to think.

Felicia was in the office before I was, and Terry and I figured out that she’s trying to make up for all the time she was out the past few weeks. It was a little disconcerting but she stayed by her desk mainly as I fluttered about and Terry manned the desk. I can flutter with the best of them. Felicia asked me to tidy up the ‘library’ which is merely a lot of books haphazardly strewn about on some bookshelves. Once again I was isolated but decided to make the most of it.

I got my iPod and plugged in and sat on the floor going through various books and magazines as I stacked this and that over here and over there. Felicia had gone out to buy flowers and two hours later came back with some branches. She needed my help moving an ostentatious vase which I had to roll on it’s edge to get it to the reception area. Last time she bought branches, they had thorns on them. Luckily these branches were thorn free.

I got through the day and headed to the Path train. No after work cigar for me since I had a dental appointment. Like I wrote yesterday, my teeth are falling apart and it’s high time I did something about it. The hygienist cleaned up my teeth, scrapping and blasting away. Then a dentist came in and she rattled off some numbers while pricking my gums with a sharp instrument. That hurt. It’s been determined and agreed by all concerned that I need to go to a periodontist. No oral surgery is required they said and I have hope that they’re correct. Things will have to be removed and things might be salvageable. We’ll have to see. Tomorrow I have to make an appointment with the periodontist in the Journal Square area.

Also sending positive vibrations to Hillsdale NJ.

Personally I really truly love Bill. I’ve been doing some soul searching and found that he’s been there for me so many times, I can only hope to do the same, or improve my lot in life with him. It’s a relationship and it’s work and it’s the best work that I’ll ever do. He’s a real sweetheart and I look forward to spending the rest of my life with him. And I hope that’s a long long long time.

It’s Monday. Terry was working this week so I afforded myself the luxury of sleeping to 6:45AM. Yes, an anarchistic way to start the day, but I was up late last night, till midnight. I am so out of control. It was great being with Bill yesterday, going to the recital, seeing Dan perform, which rekindled some ideas that Bill and I had a few years ago, and driving out to Garfield. Bill’s such a nice guy, so gregarious that he actually enjoys hanging out with my family, and they dig him too.

Next month for Thanksgiving Bill and I are going to visit my cousins down in South Jersey. That’s going to be something special for I’ve never hung out with any of them on my own, there was always a member of my immediate family in the vicinity. I’m sure they’ll like Bill too. How could they not? But will they like me? That’s the question. It was good to see my brother Frank comfortable in his teeth since he’s been in some discomfort about it for the past year. Major dental work.

Well now it’s my turn for major dental work. My teeth are fucking rotten. Sure the front ones look fine, but in the back it looks like Dresden after the war. My teeth are falling apart it seems despite my greatly reducing my sugar intake, brushing frequently and using ample amounts of mouthwash, but it’s the flossing that killed me, or rather the lack of flossing. For me, flossing is a relatively new concept, and I could never get the hang of it. I’ve tried various methods and different devices but still, every time I floss, I leave the bathroom looking like a very thin silly string party that smells vaguely like spearmint. Are bad teeth hereditary? I don’t think my mom had good teeth and I know Frank’s aren’t so good.

For a long time I had no health insurance, no dental, no eye care. Nothing. When my teeth would act up, I’d find a dentist who’d recommend a root canal, but I couldn’t afford that so I’d have the tooth pulled which left a gap and allowed the teeth the shift. I couldn’t afford the root canal and had no other option to escape the pain, for there is no pain like a tooth ache. I am sort of doing the right thing by going before I start feeling pain. I did attempt something a year ago, late spring 2005. The dentist recommended seeing a periodontist for surgery was going to be needed. She prescribed Doxycycline and one of the warnings is to avoid direct sunlight while using the medication.

Avoid the sunlight during beach season. No way, I couldn’t do it. Going to the beach whenever I can was needed for my mental health. Swimming in the sea, playing in the sun that I couldn’t avoid. I knew I’d be paying a price for that non action and now is the time to pay. So I am going back to the dentist tomorrow, tail between my legs, ready to take my lumps and to go under the scalpel. It worked for Frank so hopefully it will work for me.