I started this morning off with a dentist appointment to get a crown. Well, to get a temporary crown, to be exact. What an un-fun place. After about 30 minutes of drilling the hell out of my tooth (getting all the old filling and the decay out), giant globs of plaster were put in my mouth to facilitate the creation of the most perfect new tooth for me. Then on went the temporary crown while the real beauty is being crafted over the next two weeks.
When I got to work I sent my dentist a card that said:
Dr. Gover,
I like going to the dentist so much. I can’t wait to get my next crown.
Warm regards,
John
(a.k.a. Antonio Banderas)
I figured with dentists having the highest rate of suicide over all other professions that she has probably never received a card like this.
[Note: The “a.k.a.” part comes from the hygienist. At about halfway through my dental work, she sounded like someone going into, or coming out of, a trance. She said to the dentist in this ethereal voice, and as if I wasn’t sitting right in the char, “I can’t hold it in any longer. I’ve been thinking it since he sat in the chair, do you want to know who?”
I moved my eyes up to look at her — daring not to move my mouth, which had hovering over it, a whizzing, swirling, jackhammer-like instrument, and said, “Do you mean like a famous person?” In her best Shirley MacLaine, she nodded yes. The dentist couldn’t, or didn’t at least, gander a guess — to which Shirley pronounced, “Antonio Banderas. Clearly. I felt it as soon as he walked in.” (Lights fade, music rises: Do, do-do-do; Do, do-do-do.)]
While putting the bill on my credit card (hey, 650 frequent flier points for going to the dentist; can’t beat that!) I saw the day’s schedule posted on the wall. A 9:15 entry caught my eye, “Susan Mason.” It was 9:05. I used to work with Susan about 20 years ago, if it was the same one. Sure enough, as I was leaving she came in. We caught up some, which was nice. We left with her suggesting we get together for lunch or dinner or drinks, and me saying, “I’ll be in touch to set it up.”
Work was mostly uneventful on Tuesday. We did have our annual ECCC Kickoff Meeting, and some employees participated in a talent show. Nice to see that some of these people can do something other than geek. 🙂 I don’t know what made me think I would like the Elvis impersonator since 1) I didn’t care for Elvis, and 2) the impersonator does him so well. I like my friend Gregor’s point: “Perhaps you would have liked someone who didn’t do Elvis well.” LIGHT BULB.
After work, I stopped by CUCC to put up a SeminarWorks seminar cancellation notice on the doors. While there, Gregor, who I was meeting after I left there, phoned to tell me that the line to get into the movie was down the street to Third Place. I was horrified. He further suckered me in by telling me that he was going to ask the girl standing in front of him in line if she’d hold his spot while he ducked into Third Place to get a cup of coffee. I fell for it hook, line, and sinker. Then he said, “I’m in the lobby, and there’s NO ONE else here.” You might think I had badgered him to get there early. (Which, of course, I had.)
We had a free pass for two to see an advanced showing of the horror movie, “The Ring.” I thought it was going to be a gay-themed movie since I had picked up the free pass at White Rabbit. It was a pure horror film. I particularly enjoyed the lady sitting beside me screaming at various points, following up with nervous laughter. During the movie, for a while, I had an internal dialog going on about why people see these kind of movies. I generally don’t and only did because 1) I thought it was a gay-themed movie, and 2) it was free. If I must watch a horror movie, though, watching one with Gregor is a pleasant way to do it.
After the movie, Robert was waiting for me at my house. We’d had some difficult e-mail exchanges at the end of the work day, and decided, together, that we needed to discuss them. This relationship is very difficult for him. I’m not giving up on him. He’s working on some things himself, and we’re working on some things together.