Nothing going on today. Dental appointment at 6:30, meaning that I am staying in the office until 5:30 or so then making my way down to NYU Dental School. I’m always tempted to write Denial instead of Dental. Perhaps that is because back in the day, back in the eighties on Washington Street in Hoboken there is a Dentist’s office and on the outside it says, ‘Dental Arts’ but back then, someone with a good eye was able to hit that somehow and change it to Denial Arts which made me laugh and apparently still affects me to this day.

I did go to Dental Arts, years later and the Doctor’s name was Dr. Doktor. True story, that. Also got an estimate for implants while I was working at McMann and Tate or by its true name, Wolff Olins. Now I don’t have anything to worry about with regards to the denizens of 200 Varick Street since there is a year between my time of employment there and where I am at now, and I have nothing to fear from them.

Let’s see… last night watched the induction for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Saw the Ventures, Lou Reed introducing Leonard Cohen, Justin Timberlake going on and on about Madonna who went on and on even further. Then Iggy and the Stooges played Burning Up and Ray of Light by Madge that was interesting, plus I always enjoy watching Mike Watt play bass which he does now for the Stooges. Madge sat there, trying to look enthusiastic but this was more than likely the first time (I believe) she had ever heard the Stooges. Also looked like she had too much work done on her face. She also looks like she could be found at the Shop Rite on Route 17 aisle 3, just another Lodi girl gone to seed.

Then came Billy Joel who rambled on and on, I think he might have been drunk. He introduced John Mellencamp who was somewhat interesting but not enough to hold my interest so I went to bed a little earlier than usual thanks to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Woke up again, not too happy about the Daylight Savings. I know, I just have to get used to it, but I haven’t yet. Reading ‘Flight’ by Sherman Alexie. I enjoyed the ‘Lone Ranger…’and the movie Smoke Signals which were both by Sherman Alexie so this book shows promise.

Now I am just killing time before the dental school. Just a cleaning they told me last week. I think I will reschedule the next appointment for two weeks from tonight, just for a break. This week after week thing is not difficult but some relief from the stress of a dental appointment would be nice. A week off is all I ask. I can easily swing it for the week of March 24. I don’t think they’ll have any problems with it either. I can always say I’ll be out of time. It’s a lie I know, but I need a break. Now to send this to myself at home.

Now I’m back at home. Goodman the dentist was quite needle happy today. And then there were pictures she wanted to take of my teeth. That involved another dentist and me with some prongs pulling my cheeks out so the other dentist could angle a mirror for my mouth while Goodman took photos. Nothing fun just me looking like Katherine Helmond in Brazil, or rather Alex in A Clockwork Orange. It was all rather discomforting and I think Goodman might be using me for her thesis. Just a feeling, with nothing to base it on.

I got the paperwork to submit to the insurance company which hopefully they’ll accept and started walking back to the west side and called Bill. He was home with his mother, and I mentioned that it would be nice to have someone to walk with across town after a visit to the dentists. I was hungry, stressed and drooling. He mentioned that he couldn’t do it and I knew he couldn’t. I told him how Kathe was with me a few times after a dentist visit. Just companionship, that’s all I wanted.

Never seem to get it though. I know, I know, the same old song. I’m tired of singing it. I made a few jokes about the dentist which he didn’t quite get and I had to tell him it was all tongue in cheek, that at least I thought it was since I could barely feel either my tongue or my cheek. I decided to end the call before I got any stupider and told him I’d call him when I got back to Hoboken. I called him back when I got back to the mainland and he asked if I was better. I was fine, just lonely more or less. Now I’m home, still numb, drinking out of a glass without a straw is a challenge. What else is new anyway?