“There, now, Mr. Smitley. That should deaden that tooth nicely. You really have a bad cavity.”
“Buh ah wuss m-mah tee wi Cwess ewy day!”
“Every day, huh. Do you floss?”
“Uh, ahness answer? Whi I thin a‘out it.”
“When you think about it. Does that happen very often?”
“parently nah.”
“Well, I hate to tell you, but this tooth has got to come out.”
“No-o-o, Dah! When I Suh –ile, suh-ile, smuh, smu - smile –It’ll show! An I ssm-ssm-i-ile a lah! A lah!
“That’s very nice that you smile a lot, however, I cannot save this tooth. It’s got to come out. I can replace it with a nice new one.”
“Nie new un… weh, ok.”
“First, I’ll make a mold of your old one, then send it off to be made, and we’ll call you when it comes in. It will take about a week for me to get it back.”
“So no suh-miling fah a wee, huh?”
“Of course, you can smile.”
“Wi a ho in mah mou???”
“Well, yes.”
“Forgeh ih, dah. Ah’ll kee m-mah tu.”
“If you keep this tooth the infection will spread to your other teeth, and the pain will be excruciating.”
“Buh I can sti s-s-mi…”
“You can still smile, sir! You can laugh yourself silly! Enjoy yourself before your head rots off!”
“rahs aw?”
“Yes. Rots off! Is that what you want?”
“You ink ah stu-id?”
“I take it that’s a no.”
6/8/2026
This was well done in that, despite the fact that the syntax of the novacaine-riddled patient was compromised, I could still understand him! That's no easy task! I was imagining that once he heard what the cost was going to be, though, for that replacement tooth, his response was going to be that he'd never be able to smile again! Very fun read, Katharine. It made me grateful that I could still smile!! xoxo