Person like you should be tied to bed

Alex was sitting in the clinic’s hall chewing a hemotogen bar gloomily. He tried to do it using only left half of his teeth because of the terrible pain in the right one, that has been bothering him for three days already. The guy was holding his sore cheek with one of his hand and using another one for holding his medical card. Alex was waiting for his mother. That plump woman, who “had produced” Alex for this cruel world, was telling something to a neutral receptionist-girl who obviosly was dreaming about her long-awaited weekend. Alex wasn’t listening. He was rather pretending that he had come there alone and that expressove woman had nothing to do with him. - Please, listen! Don’t be so insensitive! — the woman cried in despair again, being restless with indignation — We need the doctor immediately! Just look at my son’s mouth! Alex hid his face behind his hood because of the shame. He was dreaming to disappear, dissolve right in the mint-colored wall behind him. Actually his mouth was fine, and the ache wasn’t as severe as his mom might imagened. The student would be at home and his desease would passed if his mom hadn’t been so careful! Anyway, Alex thought this way, trying convince himself of the fitility of this visit. - I am really sorry for you — the receptionist-girl sighed wearily, showing Alex’s mom the clinic’s shedule — All of our doctors are too busy today. Someone works during his break, such a Monday — the most difficult day. - It’s a lie! — the woman exclaimed, point with her finger at one of the columns in the table — This one… What is the last name… — she was looking at the small letters — Mr Goodman! His shedule is empty! The girl behind the registration window sighed, rubbing her temples. “Not too young mother” was putting her through hell already for fifteen minutes, crying as louder as more indignation was appearing in her big and loving heart. The dentist who was mentioned before had started working in that clinic so recently, his shedule was not even filled yet. Moreover, phrase “so recently” can be offensively inaccurate when we talk about him, because his first working day was finished yesterday. In fact, such last name was not suitable for that person at all (not because he secretly hated little jerks who ate as much chocolate as much dental decay they could get or people who just did not brush teeth well, it was not the reason). He did his job really diligently and efficiently. As soon as Mr Goodman graduated from his university, he started working in the local small town’s clinic to get any work expirience. He just expected himself to bring the necessary equipment or keep an eye on the bucket with clean shoe covers, but there were so few specialists, so he was allowed not only to examine the teeth, but pull some diseased of them. He was respected for his good healing. Mr Goodman did not love children so much, but he could calm and distract them during the treatment. But he had never endure any hysterics. He could hold the “screamer’s” hand the most calmly and offer a “little injection in your eye” with his calm and soft voice. It was amazing, but all of the “screamers” kept quiet immediately. They also became quiet after saying that fact, that if outrage did not stop, the treatment would not be done, and the pretty child would lose his teeth at once. That man was not afraid of telling careful moms all the truth about the treatment: “Yes, lady, it can hurt”, or “Yes, lady, I have to pull it”, or “You should talk to your child about the oral hygiene”. Because of that way of his treatment and treating with his parients, Mr Goodman was called ironically “That Good Man”. He did not enjoy that nickname, but he was glad that it wasn’t anything worse. Alex heard something about “That Good Guy” and about his “amazing achievements” before, when mom was trying to calm him (actually calm herself) during their trip to that uncanny clinic. There was uncanny atmosphere not only because of bad repair, but because of all that “hospital spirit” and smell of medicine. Suddenly, he heard the receptionist-girls’s voice through his gloomily thoughts. - You can go to the sixth office and ask him. I don’t know his shedule, but it’s will be there tomorrow, I promise. The woman snorted, but enjoyed achieving her goal and looked at her lovely son. - Alex, my sunshine, let’s go — her sweet voice made Alex want disappear again — Mr Goodman will examine our teeth and help us soon. Alex did not like being called “sunshine” by his mother so much. That nickname wasn’t a reason, her intonation was the reason. He felt like an adult who was ready to fight with his exams and show himself this wonderful world. He actually did not know how and in what way he wanted to intoduce himself to the world, but he was looking for the way deligently. And this “sunshine” thundered, always so suddenly and shameful, it was like he was only five years old and called by his mom from the playground for dinner. Although the son’s resentment had never stopped his mom: Alex had always been her little sunshine and forgave her anyway. Alex did not know, was it because of the femily values he had heard about everywhere or his own moral principles (and clear facts!) prevented his bad thoughts about his parent, he just always forgave and loved her. She actually did not say or do anything bad for him. So, they were standing in front of the sixth office and Alex was clutching his medical card in his hands a little bit. His mom tried to open the door that was not locked. At that moment Alex felt how a heroism had started growing up in his mighty body so he, instead of his fear and dislike of this clinic, pushed his mom away ridiculously from the door and said slurred and tense: - Mom, I’m… Big now… Myself! When he went into the office, Alex stood near the entrance ankwardly. The office was typical for such profession, maybe too typical. He did’t engoy but also wasn’t scared with the unknown-colored title he was standed on and white walls hung with bright anatomical drawings and notes. Anyway, the doctor’s office was more cozy than shabby clinic’s hall. There were cabinets with equipment near the walls, and further was a screen with mysterious puprose (why should he undress when he came to examine his teeth?). The gental chair was in the centre of the room and there was another chari with wheels near with it, also a little table with the equipment. The nice-looking sink near the cabinets surprised the office’s guest. And the doctor’s table was a little bit further from it all. Mr Goodman, highly praised by Alex’s mom, was sitting at the table and writting something. He was wearing a grayish-purple sweater and a typical doctor’s coat that obviosly met the iron only in it’s dreams. The doctor’s hair was fair, almost white. Exactly white like blond hair when lighting in the office, not grey because of age. He was pretty young to being such a specialist. Mr Goodman’s hands were hidden behind dark gloves and there was a mask on his chin. His simple glasses making him look very businesslike slipped down to his nose’s tip. “That Good Man” looked up at his guest. - Why are you still standing there? — he asked raising his eyebrow — Are you in the wrong office? — the doctor’s voice was nice and calm, although it seemed some apathetic. - So… Are you exactly Mr Goodman? — asked Alex ankwardly believing at one moment that the office was not the sixth, but the six hundred and sixty-sixth. - I’m exactly… Me? — the man was puzzled a little bit, not understanding the teenager’s question — You’re obviosly not me, young man. The “young man” straightened up like in a physical education lesson and gave the doctor his medical card. - So, I’m in the right office! — the teenager smilled a little, hiding behind this smile his discomfort — Alexey Yudin, it’s me! - Excellent — the dentist shrugged his shoulders and opened the card starting studying it — You don’t have an appointment, right? Alex nodded instead of the doctor’s question sounded like a fact. The dentist chuckled and took a pen: - What seems to be the problem? Or do you want to check something? - Well… — Alex frowned a little bit — My tooth hurts — saying this, the guy paused significantly. He seemed to ask a question about the life’s purpose and waited for an answer from the doctor. - Is it all you wanted to say? — Mr Goodman raised his eyebrow again with a little indignation. The man hurried to interrupt Alex noticing that the teenager misanderstood him and want to explain his problem’s importanse — It’s not enough. You should tell me about the kind of the ache and how had it begun, and also about your deseased tooth’s location. Which one hurts? Alex didn’t even know how to say what Mr Goodman wanted to hear. Anyway, he couldn’t choose right words and opened his mouth pointing the tooth with an exhaustive describtion: - It seems like… Right here?.. Suddenly he felt a little bit funny because of the situation’s rediculousness. Alex smilled a little and covered his mouth with a hand. But Mr Goodman didn’t enjoy his “little show” and just sighed. - Sit down to the dentist armchair, I don’t have enough time for this — he said in a workmanlike way, with his tired voice. No, he sounded even not like a tired man, he sounded more like someone who wants to get home as soon as possible. Alex understood this because he knew this feeling as a student. But he couldn’t help but emphasize the importance of his promlem. - I… I came to the inspection for my tooth’s good examination, not for a quick looking and going home… Alex felt much less confidence when Mr Goodman stood up and took a little dentist’s mirror putting on his mask like he should. Yudin had tried to control himself, but the fear started embracing his body with its sticky threads. Alex still denied it, but he couldn’t help himself: he was afraid of doctors. No, Alex was AFRAID of doctors. He was afraid of them not like of spiders or of the dark, it seemed more like… The fear of blood. He just felt bad during any simple school medicine procedures. He was trembling even during inspections because of one “hospital spirit”. And here are this damn dentisht right in front him with a torture equipment on his little table! Alex’s legs started trembling when he looked at another tools trying to distract. Mr Goodman looked at his patient and nodded for him to the armchair. His soft voice made Alex think soberly again. - Put on the shoe covers and sit there, it’s weird you haven’t guess it before. How many slush you have bring here, terrible… — the doctor sighed again looking at the wet traces on the floor and shaking his head. Alex nodded guiltily and hurried to put on the shoe covers as soon as he could. Later he scrambled on the dentist armchair. This is just an inspection! There will not any scarry things to happen, moreover… Alex is almost an adult man, he will take any procedures with his mouth, no doubt. Wishing distract again, the student decided to make a joke: - Do you clean your equipment? Anyway my teeth haven’t seen such tools, they have never hurt — he explained showing off a little bit. - I see that your teeth have never seen any doctor before, — the doctor answer was calm, but caustically — Also they have never seen a tooth brush, but they have met a lot of pepsi-cola, chips and food coloring. Alex felt ashamed and offended, so he snorted at the doctor’s remark. He haven’t seen Mr Goodman’s teeth so he could not say anything about them back. So, if he could? Does dentists usually care about their teeth deligently? Probably. Mr Goodman did not hestitate and asked unobtrusively: - Open your mouth, I will check what is the probpem. Alex saw this strange tool with a handle again and reluctantly opened his mouth, allowing the man examining it. The doctor was gentle, pushing on the gums rarely, only when Alex should open mouth wider. The mirrow was touching his gums and palate with an uncanny cold making the boy tremble. It was uncomfortable to the point of insanity and Alex couldn’t look anything else exept the doctor. Couldn’t look anything else exept his attentive grey eyes sliding with their view on the student’s yellowish teeth. Suddenly, the dentist put off his tool and asked: - Are you afraid of me? - Uh? Alex did not understand at first, but “That Good Guy” explained: - You all shaking all over here, like a wet kitten. There is pretty warm in my office, and you are wearing a denim coat, so I’m not sure you’re suffering because of cold — the dentist stared at Alex’s eyes as if he ate the student with all of his bones — Are you afraid of doctors? - No! — the student exclaimed — Generally, you have been touching my teeth for ten minutes or even more, can you finally tell me, what’s my problem with them and what should I do? Mr Goodman snorted and started detailed explaining. - Your teeth are dirty a little bit, but they are fine. Your overbite is brilliant, we can even call it an “art”. I guess, your left molar and premolar push on the teeth between them because your jaw is still developing. Teeth have shifted a lot and the best way is pulling one of them, that hurts — the dentist was thinking — It’s actually not so difficult… - Do you want to pull my tooth?! - Not today — said the doctor calmly adjusting his glasses — I’m going to home soon. Come here in two days. - It’s just rediculous! — Alex was outraged — Why should my healthy tooth be pulled? - It won’t be healthy when it’s pushed my two another teeth on the sides — Mr Goodman clarified — If I don’t pull it, the tooth will hurt anyway. It will hurt even more than after removing — your gum will hurt and eating will be difficult. I would suggest the installation of braces, your teeth look like you have problems with using them. Am I right? The student look away. This damn dentist knew everything. It was rediculous to argue with him, but shameful to agree. He really had some problem eating, not so serious. In particular, he did not like the solid food that was seemed to get through his teeth and scratched gums exactly on the sore cheek. But he didn’t want to talk about it. - So, can I go now? - Not yet, not quite — the doctor put off the mirror and took the terrible tool, connected by the wire to something in the floor — I would like to do something with your oral hygiene. - In what way? — Alex tried to look businesslike but there was a shameful fear in his voice. His legs were trembling again — My hygiene is fine!.. - Actually not fine, Alex — “That Good Man” answered absolutely calmly and inexorably feturning him to recumbent position and making him to keep it with his gentle and adamant touch — I will just brush your teeth with this machine, open up your mouth. The student absolutely did not want this simular to a tatoo-machine tool to buzz near his enamel. He covered his mouth with both of hands like a child, so doctor raising his eyebrow and asked more strictly: - Alex, you’re a big boy now, don’t play any games with me. Just let me do my job. But the student shook his head squinting desperately. He could not take this view, he felt more embrassed then, than hearing mom’s soft voice. The doctor already demanded with the same calm, but strictly voice: - Alexey, open up your mouth. But suddenly Alex trembled withpout even any oppotrunity of answering. The doctor’s fingers peneterated under his denim coat tickling edges covered with only thin T-shirt. These movements not only caused tingles. They made the student bend almost in an arc because of its suddenness, speed and weightlessness, like a fluffy feathers' waltz. He squealed shortly and start protecting his vulnerable areas. “That Good Man” used it and start “polishing” his patient’s teeth picking up his tool. The student did not feel any ache from touching his gums and the tool, but felt resentment from such a dirty reception. The doctor obviosly knew what he did and did not in the first time. He probably did it with children for about for or eight years old. Althoug Alex understood deep in his mind that he was so simular with those children at that moment when he was so scared of the simple procedure, but he denied it anyway. Finishing “torturing” his patient, Mr Goodman put of his tool apathetically and wrote something in the card. Alex’s mom timidly looked into the office, absolutely destroying her son inside: - Sunshine, have you been hurt here by thr mister doctor? The dentist made a little smiled behind his mask looking at the plump woman Alex apathetically went to. “The Good Man” understood that Alex would hide the nesessity of tooth’s pulling, so he explained the woman everything. - Can you write my phone number? — maman asked restlessly — Write it, you should call me if my sunshine forget. - Alright, how should I write you? — the man take his phone, preparing for writing. - Antotina Victorovna. Yu-di-na — after dictating the number, the woman introduced herself and smiled amiably. Alex snorted understanding that there will be “very interesting” timespending in the clinic with Mr Goodman for a long time. He started feeling embrassed looked at these grey attentive eyes almost immediately. This feeling was as strong as his aversion to the smell of the hospital.