Strong and Sturdy

Strong and Sturdy - the words that I saw
on a bag as I stepped out the door.
Like a mantra were they
in my head, as I lay
in the dentist's black chair feeling sore.

Today the dentist achieved less than she'd hoped for in my time - well over an hour - in her chair. She successfully drilled into the remains of my root-filled broken tooth and, with much packing, managed to fit a post. The packing material (Octobond, I think I heard her say) was so quick to set, that she then spent a long time gradually filing it back and smoothing it off. Thereafter, despite much repeated effort, she failed to make a temporary tooth that would fit in the narrow space. I suggested we call it a day and assured her it didn't bother me to leave with a stump in my gap instead of a pseudo-tooth. (It is more comfortable!) and I now have to return for three more visits. There was no time to prepare my mouth further, nor to take an impression for a permanent cap, so there we are. My shoulders ache, but otherwise it wasn't painful, only frustrating.

As before, ahead of treatment, I had to mouthwash with this vile stuff, which I referred to as bleach.
"Oh, it's not bleach," said the assistant.
"Well, it smells like bleach and it tastes like bleach," I said. "Surely bleach must be a component."
"It's peroxide," she admitted.
"Ah, bleach!" I said, with a smile.

(You have to smile when the dentist is about to spend an hour working on your teeth and has a drill in her hand!)

The dentist was late starting on me, so by the time she'd done, we were running over half an hour late. I felt so sorry for the next clients, a mother with two young boys, who had to wait outside in the rain. This anti-Covid security is beyond anything.

The mantra in the poem is taken from a bright yellow Sainsbury's bag, printed with the bag's boast and a picture of an elephant in bright orange. I thought my little ornaments made a prettier photo. But the shopping bag's promise did seem to offer the mantra I needed.

Rain, gales, and more rain and gales to come.
Sigh.