I went to the dentist yesterday for a cleaning and a crown.
I took my IPOD.
It occurred to me while they were putting the gas mask on me and numbing my mowf that it must be a heck of a profession when it’s preferable to your clients to disengage four of their five senses in order to be able to tolerate your work.
(Note: I go one step further. I keep my eyes closed. For two reasons: Number one, I don’t want to see the needle approaching and number two, it makes the intensity of the gas stronger.)
Now the gas doesn’t block out one of the five senses, as defined, unless it is common sense. Who in their right mind would let people take a drill to their teeth? But, with a couple of whiffs of the gas, I’m amenable to anything, including mowing my lawn and eating mayonnaise.
(maybe not mayonnaise)
A lot of years ago, I worked at a Country Club with some dentists on the membership roster. They were young guys, so just for fun one day I asked them about the gas. Did they use it for recreation purposes?
They got this strange look on their faces, looked at each other, then explained that it was unethical and illegal and every month in their dentistry newsletter there were stories of people being prosecuted for personal use of the gas. They were very serious.
They talked for a long time about it (speaking rather quickly, if I recall)…but they never answered the question.
