15/10/15

I am not good at doing more than one or two planned activities in a day. I do not like being too busy if I have the choice. I have been working long hours since last Saturday, waking up at 5am each morning and finishing at nearly 10pm at night. It is a depressing feeling leaving the apartment in the dark and returning home again in blackness. I suppose it is to be expected now; it is getting pretty close to winter. Lots of leaves have fallen already, and I hear people complaining about the cold.

Today is Thursday, my first day off in five days. Like I said, when I have the choice, I don’t like to be too busy. I have a dental hygienist appointment, my main errand of the day. I wake up at 10am to the sound of my phone’s alarm. 10am is a great time to wake up I think. I feel rested and ready for the day ahead. In preparation, I bought bread, eggs, avocados and cherry tomatoes from the supermarket the night before, so the fridge is well stocked for my wholesome breakfast. After eating, I get ready to head out.

It’s cold, as expected. The over ground trains aren't working today for some reason, so I decide to take the bus to Liverpool Street station. Once inside the tube carriage, I quickly heat up, starting to sweat a little in the crowded carriage filled with hot air and noise. I take off my jacket and sit on the train for five stops. I notice the man sitting in front of me reading the Metro newspaper is holding a white cane. (A white cane is usually used by blind or visually impaired people. Its primary uses are as a mobility tool and as a courtesy to others.) I wonder if he just likes to hold the newspaper open, or perhaps he is looking after the cane for someone else.

It feels good to be out of the stifling tube air, the cold outside is refreshing. I am running a little behind for my appointment so decide to take a taxi for the final part of my journey. The driver is friendly but I am not sure he took the fastest route. He tells me a little about his life. He’s also from India and studied architecture in Chennai. I arrive a couple of minutes late but the receptionist does not seem to mind. She types something into her computer and points me to some purple chairs in the waiting room. I am relieved I made it. It took me two weeks to get this appointment. I sit down, take my jacket off and start checking emails on my phone.

Never-lit-before candles, a stone Buddha, and unconvincing synthetic plants adorn the shelves and side tables of the waiting room. In a corner, an electric fountain pumps water into a series of ceramic cups, making a continuous trickling sound, which I suppose is quite relaxing when you’re waiting to see the dentist. I am only getting my teeth cleaned though – nothing to be nervous about. I am the only patient in the room. I guess 12pm on a Thursday is an odd time in the week, but I still think it is a little unusual that nobody else is here.

I am called in. A youngish lady hands me a pair of yellow tinted safety glasses, similar to those we used to wear in high school chemistry lessons. I used to have so much fun playing around with Bunsen burners and hydrochloric acid. A jet of pressured water is blasted into my mouth whilst various tools are prodded between my teeth and brushed over their surface. I cannot quite tell what is happening inside my mouth but it feels productive.

After 30 minutes, we are done. I gargle a pinkish mouthwash which tastes pretty good, like minty cloves. My teeth feel a little sensitive when I breathe in the chilly air outside but I am sure it’s just a temporary effect. In contrast to the vacant waiting room, the pavement is crowded, packed with busy shoppers and professionals on their lunch breaks, smoking cigarettes and quickly eating Pret A Manger sandwiches. I have been told I eat too quickly but I hate eating in a rush. I had to do that a few times last week. I leisurely walk back to the station, stopping to buy a tea from a café on route.