Library Notes
October 30, 2004
By Pansy Hundley, Librarian.
Now, where were we when I left last week? We were in the dreaded dentist’s office, about to go "under the needle
I went in, as scheduled, the next "day off" for the torment and torture – the filling of the cavities.
They got me in the little room, all nice and comfy in "the chair". Here came the doctor lady, no needles in sight yet. The assistant asked if I wanted the gas or not. But, brave soul that I am, I told her no.
There – here she came. It was about to begin. She sprayed "stuff" on that gum, waited for it to deaden and then, then she found the needles.
My fingerprints are permanently imprinted in the arms of their chair. That needle hurt just as much as it did the last time.
Then she proceeded to find another needle and another. It turned out that there were three cavities, plus the fill-in around my "partial-plate tooth", all located here and there all over my mouth. Four shots! They had me in the chair, all leaned back, my bib on, and I couldn’t get up and run. I couldn’t even holler or grit my teeth, because all that stuff was in my mouth. My whole face began getting numb and I couldn’t have told if I was gritting or not anyway.
I always think of Bill Cosby when I get in that situation. He can so accurately describe the feelings, or the un-feelings, and how you sound as you try to talk, with everything numb and your bottom lip droops and dribbles and you can’t do a thing about it.
I survived all four needles and I told my lady dentist that the next time, I was going to arrange to have all those cavities on the same side, so I wouldn’t have to have so many shots. She is so gentle and the shots are so effective, I felt no pain as doc proceeded to fill those pesky cavities.
After they were all finished with me, I got up and stumbled, not too steadily, out the door. I held the tissue to my drooping, drooling mouth, again visualizing Bill Cosby.
I fooled around town for a while, some feeling gradually coming back. Wouldn’t you know, it was lunch time and I contemplated eating lunch, wondering if I would chew my lip off if I tried.
I decided I would try it. The feeling was back on one side pretty good. I figured I could chew on that side alone and not risk chewing my jaw to pieces on the other.
I went to eat enchiladas at a Mexican food place there in Greenville that I really like. One-sided cheese enchiladas were what I ate, slowly and carefully.
I’m surprised they didn’t charge me more for the table, as long as I sat and carefully chewed. But, I’ll have your know I devoured those enchiladas, with my bottom lip intact and my "dead" jaw all in one piece. I did good, sufficiently filled, feeling returning slowly, and I had eaten no more than my enchiladas. My tummy was full—for the time being—and my mouth was in good condition for another six months at least. I could relax then and go on out to Walmart’s, to help and keep them in business. Well, certainly I would go to Walmart. A person can’t go anywhere without stopping at Walmart going or coming, all us women know that, and you men should be trained to that knowledge by now surely.
With mouth all fixed up and shopping all done, for the time being, let us proceed. And-d-d-d, did you check on your next dental appointment, as I instructed last week? I can’t enjoy this dental work all by myself. I must share it with everyone. I’ll just tell you about this newest book and you can, perhaps, read this as you wait on your dentist in his waiting room, eh?
Many of you read Jonathan Kellerman and know exactly who he is, with his Alex Delaware that you have assisted in solving many, many crimes. Some of you may not know that his wife also writes books and her name is Faye, of course, Kellerman. It seems that they have collaborated on this present book and can you imagine some of the discussions (arguments?) that went on while this book was being written? They call the book "Double Homicide: Santa Fe" and "Double Homicide: Boston" It’s one of those books that you turn over and the opposite side is upside down, with the other book on that side. Very confusing. You want to always read Book 1 first and don’t do as I did once, not notice that there are two books and start on the second one first. I realized what I was doing when I next picked the book up and couldn’t figure out why in the world the picture was different, until I turned the book over. Ah-ha!
" Double Homicide: Santa Fe": It’s Christmastime and police officers Darrel Two Moons and Steve Katz are expecting the usual gang assaults, feuding spouses, and alcohol-related misdemeanors. Then the call comes in from the Historic District: the reported death of an art gallery owner whose bludgeoned body stretches across a bleached pine floor like a big, nasty still life.
When he was in the NYPD, Katz saw more homicides weekly than he’s seen in Santa Fe in three years. "
"Double Homicide: Boston": Basketball is an obsession in Beantown, producing emotions that run hot even in the coldest winter. This time, a flagrant foul during a college match leads to a fatal shooting. With the life of its star forward cut short, the entire city is putting pressure on Detectives Dorothy Breton and Michael McCain to find the perpetrator.
For Dorothy, who’s raising two teenage boys on her own, the case hits close to home. She knows the victim’s mother: their sons played on the same team."