The toothless grin is back...

...and it no longer makes me feel childlike. Alas! On the contrary it makes me realise that I am ageing. I have had some signs before, like streaks of grey, everywhere- in my head, stubble, nostrils (and I dare not go any further down-WINK WINK!) but it's only my "sans tooth" status that makes me feel really really archaic. It happened on a (not so) fine morning, coz I woke up with a toothache. As expected I ignored. Two days later I derived the formula of my life yet again-
Toothache+Carelessness*Procrastibation = Dentist => Excruciating pain.

So there I was at the dentist seat, inclined at an awkward angle of 45 degrees, with my jaw wide open and a variety of tools digging the life out of me.
My eyes still hold a vivid picture of the devil of my dentist, gritting his (not so) pearly whites and asking me all sorts of questions-
"Is it paining?" No way! It's like cookies melting into my mouth!
"How does it feel?" Heavens man! I wish it happened everyday!!
But all I did was nod in affirmative or negative. If I said anything anyway, it would all sound just the same gibberish- aa..oo..aa.a.wa...!

My tooth was decayed but strong, resolved not to leave its roots! The dentist's hand got firmer, the face more grave and his muscles more tense. All this while my dentist kept singing- "Just pulling out the filling, not your tooth" and I was like "Yeah I was born yesterday."
The ordeal went on forever. My fingernails dug valleys in my palms making some serious alterations in my love and fortune lines. (Remember Ogden Nash's This is gonna hurt a lit' bit....?)

Finally the dentist's frown blossomed into a smile. He gasped- "It's done!"
You mean done with life?? Phew!!
I gargled the blood out, felt the numbness of my swollen cheek and shelled out a heartbreaking fees. This is funny. You lose your tooth and you pay for it!

I stepped out of the clinic. The first thing I see is an old man, sans one leg, on crutches, limping his way into a barber shop. Instantly I had revelations, full Buddha style- I will grow old, lose all my faculties and eventually meet the dirt...I would have no one to look after me...I should give up my materialistic pursuits...I should zip to the Himalayas and meditate...
Looks like there is some connection between teeth and brain! Ha!