It isn’t every day one is inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Late in life I have at last succeeded to the needle of Canadian celebrity. But even as I conclude this apocalyptic chapter of my life by addressing the cracked collateral of a precipitous bicycle fall on the beach years ago, I unwittingly advance upon a brighter cosmetic future (modestly initiated today by the bespoke composition of a bridge – the application of which must await 6 preparatory days following the extraction surgery). Nonetheless, dear Reader, the riveting particulars of the ensuing serendipity shall be set aside for later reference as I defer instead to the composition of a much warranted account of today’s event with the learned and capable professionals at DOCS (Dentistry On Catherine Street) in Ottawa this afternoon.
First may I begin with a shout out to the good people at Carebridge Community Support through whom we arranged the inexpressible convenience of a private chauffeur to and from our destination today – including an unscheduled detour afterwards to Remedy’s Rx to fill two associated prescriptions (pain relief and antibiotic) for the expediency of which I am additionally grateful to the pharmacy. The unobstructed devotion – and quiet tolerance – of our driver to our personal needs was nothing less than commendatory. He is a credit to himself in particular and to the community in general.
As for the people at DOCS I am motivated equally to unqualified applause – this notwithstanding the immediate and astonishing observation that everyone there appears only recently to have surpassed puberty. Such is the perception of old age! From the moment the nurses arrived to build the bridge and set up the intravenous apparatus to the critical arrival of the anaesthetist and periodontist, I was at sea in a swirl of youthful and consolatory talent, exceeded only in anticipation by the manifest conclusion 90 minutes later in a state of measureless euphoria. Really, one has to wonder how it is possible to remove a large front tooth such as my erstwhile fang without so much as the whisper of a jack hammer!
As I later quipped with the anaesthetist, he seemed to have failed in his duties because I never felt a thing. Truly the advantage of modern day stupefacients and the advanced education of dental surgery (including – by no means to be overlooked – the comforting sensibility of the attending nurse throughout the procedure) together afforded what reminded me of similarly profitably outings to the golf club for luncheon, a beer and a club sandwich on the patio overlooking the fairway on a mirthful day. The cathartic and pragmatic achievement was indisputable.
Throughout the entire tournament I was able to bear the deprivation of my iPhone (which – judiciously, if I may say – I had had the foresight to extinguish prior to my withdrawal from the waiting room to the surgery). Nor is this a small compliment because it acknowledges with unequivocal direction the superlative importance of being punctiliously battered.
And while on the subject of unheralded accomplishment it behooves me as well to accord my partner limitless thanks for unparalleled contribution on all sides, from the outset of the surgeon’s preliminary analysis months ago to the arrangement of the day’s necessary commitments to this evening’s “toothless” but rewarding repast (I shall spare you the Spartan details of the menu except to touch upon the assuaging effect of maple syrup). In short, overseeing it all from start to end with indescribable gratuity and precision! This supervising characteristic is no less meaningful than the substance of the enterprise itself.
Every snapshot of life is rich with weightiness. Today’s not entirely singular or uncommon adventure – for the thrilling report of which I apologetically crawl – is for me testimony to the platitude that all is found in the moment. It is but one more reminder that the future is both indecipherable and irrelevant. We have enough worthy of conceit within the period from dawn to dusk.
