Toothsome Lass

Because I know everyone is on the absolute edge of their respective seat waiting to see how my trials and tribulations with my teeth is going to play out, I say this: I went to the dentist today and had some of the work done.  I was wavering between not doing anything when something definitely needed to be done and calling the dentist to practice my ability to deliver a venomous screed of profane rage.  Instead, I  chose something in-between.  I'm also grateful tonight: grateful for Novocaine and dental schools.  One hundred years ago my tooth would have gotten worse, growing more and more painful, until the decay would cause the thing to simply break off.  That sounds lovely.

And I'm laughing about that phone call with Willie.  When I'm IN FEAR I can't see too inches past my nose.  You could slap me around the head and shoulders with the solution and I'd miss the whole point.  God speaks to me through other people.  He doesn't speak to me directly even though I think he should.  God gives me answers in direct proportion to the amount of effort I put into finding a solution.  This is why I call people - they're not wrapped up in the fear and they can see things much more clearly.  And he doesn't give me the answers when I want them.  I spent day one praying and writing and talking to people, and I made a decision.  When I woke up on day two I was still afraid.  Damn.  I had to go to work again.  I hadn't done enough work and I hadn't made the right decision or the fear would have been gone.  I listen to the fear - it's telling me something.

Willie said, in response to my thanks: "Shit, no problem.  I wasn't upset so I could see the situation more clearly than you could.  And what do I care about your teeth anyway?"

He didn't actually say that - I said that.  But we joke all the time about the fact that if something  doesn't concern us directly, then frankly we don't really care about it.  That's an exaggeration but not as big a one as you might imagine.