Thursday, October 11, 2012

Harry before the dentist

Disclaimplanation:

I've been taking a memoir class at the community college and today there was an assignment to write a scene around a vintage photograph. Even though memoir is supposed to be real, this was a fiction exercise and I had the greatest time writing it. 

I shared it with a friend and she found it disturbing. That describes pretty much every attempt I've made at real fiction. Guess that just means I have a style. 

So, here goes...
-->
Momma told me this would happen if I didn’t take care of my teeth.  I was supposed to clean them before bed, but I was always so tired after feeding and watering the animals and then I was supposed to do some reading too, I just always fell asleep. But she was always saying things like, “How you gonna eat when yer old if you got no teeth? Yer just gonna waste away on soup and overcooked noodles.”
Thing is, washing my teeth probably wouldn’t have made that big a difference since it was a donkey kick that smashed my mouth up anyway. Stupid ass was limping around in the garden, and momma sent me out to check its feet. I got a real good look at the nail stuck in the shit in his hoof as the whole thing came straight at my face, but for all I care it can stay in there cuz I ain’t never going near it again.
I ran back inside, trying to hold my teeth in my mouth and blood was pouring out everywhere. I choking too much to scream about it, plus being 13, I was too old to bawl over getting kicked in the face. Whatever water might have come pouring out my eyes was just invul… involute…  a natural reaction. You try getting kicked in the face, and see how you feel.
In the kitchen, Momma was at the sink doing the dishes but she turned round when I came in.
“Harry Lawrence! What the hell…  yer bleeding all over my floor. Here. ” She tossed me a kitchen rag. “Stick that in yer mouth, and get back outside.”
                  I could hear her digging round inside the house, and then she came out with her Sunday hat and second best coat and told me to get in the truck. We drove into town and I held that rag in my mouth. I tried chewing it a little, to test the damage, and I felt the front teeth just fold over on themselves. That’s a feeling you can’t even imagine until it happens, and trust me, you don’t ever want to know it.
                  Momma stopped the truck outside the doctor’s office and dragged me by an elbow in the front door. The nurse at the table stood up when she saw the blood, and looked at my momma with her eyebrows pushed up to her hairline.
                  “Fool boy’s got himself kicked by a donkey. We’ll be lucky if there’s any teeth left in there.”
                  The nurse put me in a chair in a little room, wrapped me up in a sheet like I was at a barber shop and told momma to fetch the doc. I hoped she would take her time. I didn’t like the doctor cuz he always made fun of my face.   The nurse pulled the rag out of my mouth and sprayed my mouth with water so cold it burned.  Finally, the doc came in carrying a black box and chatting with my momma.
                  “Yes ma’am, and I do the processing myself. Got a little darkroom out the back. “
                  “Well, doc,” said my momma, “that’s very interesting. Harry’s never got his photograph took before.”
                  “Let’s see the damage then,” he said, finally looking at me. “Hoo boy. We’re gonna have to winch those lips open to really see what’s going on in there.” He reached in a drawer and pulled out two giant spoons with their middles folded back.
                  “Lean back, Harry.” He said as he handed the black box to the nurse. “I’m just gonna open his mouth up, and then you press the button.” The doc stuck one of those spoon things in the side of my mouth, and I had another natural reaction. He reached round the back of my head and jammed the other spoon in the other side of my mouth and I squawked again.  I could hear his watch ticking away by my ear.
“Hang on a second, doc,” My momma reached in and smoothed my hair. “Ok. Now.”
                  The doc pulled on the spoons, tugging the mouth open wide. “Smile for the camera, Freckle-face.”
                  What an asshole. 

28 comments:

  1. Oh Megs, that was dark, and funny, and just so you. I love your totally sick sense of humor. I tots loled several times.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great job for publishing such a nice article. Your article isn’t only useful but it is additionally really informative. we provide Orthodontist Downtown Los Angeles at affordable prices. for more info visit our website.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Outstanding as well as powerful tip by the writer of this blog are really handy to me. Complications Of Zygomatic Implants

    ReplyDelete
  4. I examine your blog site presently share great information right below. Training Zygomatic Implants

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow, What an Excellent post. I really found this too much information. It is what I was searching for.I would like to suggest you that please keep sharing such type of info. Orthodontist the woodlands tx

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am thankful to this blog giving unique and helpful knowledge about this topic, I read your blog now share great information here. This blog increse my knowledge source . Power Rack

    ReplyDelete
  7. For a long time me & my friend were searching for informative blogs, but now I am in the right place guys, you have made a room in my heart. Affordable dentures brisbane

    ReplyDelete
  8. Awesome! Thanks for sharing such a great article.

    ReplyDelete
  9. thank you so much for such information We at Denté clinic, have a highly qualified panel of the Best kid dentist in Delhi to cater to all your child’s dental care needs. We are trained to be friendly and handle the kids with care thus preventing any phobia that might be developed when it comes to visiting a dentist in the future.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Yes, Really very good information, this information is excellent and needy for everyone. I am thankful to you for providing this kind of information. Cosmetic Dentistry charlotte NC

    ReplyDelete
  11. Great information, this information is necessary and essential for everyone. I am heartily thankful to you for providing this kind of great information. Thank you once again for sharing it. dental membership cost charlotte NC

    ReplyDelete
  12. You wrote this post very carefully about this topic. I got information from your article it is really useful for me and also for others. Keep sharing this type of info, Thank you. Rock Hill Dental Center

    ReplyDelete
  13. I read your post and this blog is very good. You have provided good knowledge in this blog. This blog really impressed me. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with all of us. cosmetic dentist columbia sc

    ReplyDelete
  14. I got some wonderful knowledge from this post. The post is extremely informative and contains some best knowledge. Thanks for sharing it. Family Dentist Toledo Ohio

    ReplyDelete
  15. I am truly impressed by the details which you have provided regarding dental bridge.It is an interesting article for me as well as for others. Thanks for sharing such articles here.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thanks for publishing such special knowledge. You are doing such a good job. This info is very helpful for everyone. Keep it up. Thanks once again for sharing it. dental instruments supplier in Dubai

    ReplyDelete
  17. You are providing good knowledge. It is really helpful and factual information for us and everyone to increase knowledge.about dental hospital in bhopal. Continue sharing your data. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  18. You've written an excellent post, and you've shared it with us. Your article provided me with some unique and useful knowledge Dental Aligners. I appreciate you sharing this text with us.

    ReplyDelete
  19. The information in the post you posted here is useful because it contains some of the best information available. Thanks for sharing it. Keep up the good work Orthodontist the woodlands tx.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I think this is an informative post and it is very useful and knowledgeable. therefore, I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this article. best cosmetic dentists

    ReplyDelete
  21. I think this is an informative post and it is very useful and knowledgeable. therefore, I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this article. mount druitt dentist

    ReplyDelete
  22. I think this is an informative post and it is very useful and knowledgeable. therefore, I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this article. la costa dentist

    ReplyDelete
  23. Wow, cool post. I'd like to write like this too - taking time and real hard work to make a great article... but I put things off too much and never seem to get started. Thanks though. oral implantology

    ReplyDelete
  24. I generally check this kind of article and I found your article which is related to my interest. Genuinely it is good and instructive information, Mini Dental Implants Houston Thankful to you for sharing an article like this.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Wow, cool post. I'd like to write like this too - taking time and real hard work to make a great article... but I put things off too much and never seem to get started. Thanks though. huntington beach root canal

    ReplyDelete
  26. I will share it with my other friends as the information is really very useful. Keep sharing your excellent work. Read more info about blakeney dentist blakeney dental

    ReplyDelete