Five People you Meet in...The Dentist's Office

I'm replacing Friday's "Weekend Preview" with "Five people you meet in..." Let's be honest, no one really cares that much about what I'm doing over the weekend...

Each week I'll finish this sentence with a different word, the word of the week will most likely come from some interesting encounter I may have had recently. This week's edition: "Five people you meet in the Dentist's Office.

1. The Receptionist: This is the first person you run into when entering the office and at least at my office, they are always very nice. The one thing that always goes through my mind is how they must be tired of repeating things so much. While sitting waiting to go back, I here the receptionist on the phone reminding people of their appointments for the following day(s) I can't help but think that would get tiring after a while. I hope that's not all they do all day long, it just seems like it because it's all they do every time I'm in there. Any Dental receptionists out there who can verify this?

2. "Co-Waiters": So in my case, the waiting area is pretty small and this week I was alone for a few minutes until another patient came in. As soon as she came in she asked, "Why are the blinds closed?" And had such a concerned expression on her face that had I not been paying attention, I might have thought she asked, "Why is there blood all over this wall?" Nevertheless, she looked at me to answer this question of which I could not but the very sweet receptionist took a brief break from her phone-reminders to tell the lady she could open the blinds if she wanted.  I always feel like waiting room individuals momentarily share some sort of a bond. Most likely neither one of you is looking forward to what is about to happen.

3. The dental hygienist: The main question, is of course, is she going to try to carry on a conversation? Keep in mind that I have a tough time carrying on a conversation with my hair-stylist because I figure I'm there to get the job done (at super-cuts mind you), so you can imagine how difficult I find it to small-talk with someone when I can't actually move my lips. But alas, I understand that they are just trying to be friendly.

4. The dentist: This is the job to have. I've been going to my dentist for approximately 22 years. Twice a year. So that's about 44 trips to the same dentist. In all those trips I'm fairly certain that we've never uttered more than the following words:

Dentist: "How are you doing today!"
Me: Great. How about you?
Dentist: Good. Thanks
(4 minutes later)
Dentist: "Well everything looks good, have a great summer (or winter depending on the time of the visit)"

5.  Me: I realize that I don't actually meet myself at the dentist but I'm going to write this in the perspective of you, or the any of the a fore mentioned 4 individuals. The first thing you need to know is that I have crazy eyes. I don't know what's wrong with them but they are uber-sensetive and this makes things like getting a haircut and going to the dentist difficult. I immediately close my eyes and they remain closed throughout the entire process. (Is this common? Leave your comment below please) The light is what I can't handle. I seems to me like it has got to be the brightest light ever that's shining in your eyes. Just because my eyes are closed doesn't mean they are sensetivity-free. If something unexpected comes to close to them, they can, at any point, freak out. This happened this week at my appointment. The hygienist brushed my closed eye-lash with her hand and I jumped like  I'd been shot (That's where the blood on the wall in the waiting room came from!). She, I'm sure, was totally freaked out and probably thought she stabbed me with her little stabber-tool that was inside my mouth at the time. She asked if I was ok, I said I was and tried to brush it off like it must happen to her all the time. I feel so bad for the hygienist that gets stuck with me: the non-talker, eye freak.