Hunting Buddies

            Early Thursday afternoon I had an appointment to pick up my new denture and to get a cleaning at my dentist’s office. It had been raining hard ever since I’d gotten up that morning and it hadn’t let up by the time I had to leave. I had dreaded riding in that wet mess but it was almost a relief to be totally soaked after a few blocks because since I was already as soggy as I could get there was no more drenching to be apprehensive about. But then once I was on Dundas it started to go down my boots and so I’d found another level of being sodden after all.

            The receptionist was talking to someone when I arrived and directed me to sit in the waiting area. About five minutes later, Dr. He gestured for me to follow him. When I walked into the treatment room I asked him to confirm that I could also get a cleaning and he told me that the office was looking into that. He informed me that my Green Shield insurance policy only allows for one cleaning a year and my last cleaning was in June, so I might not be eligible yet.

            I sat down and he showed me my new denture but I was surprised and said, “I thought that it was supposed to be two teeth!” Dr He was puzzled and repeated, “Two teeth?” I told him that the assistant, Hilberto, had told me that the denture was going to be for my missing tooth and for the next missing one on the upper right. Just then Hilberto walked in and I reminded him and confirmed that he’d thought that was what it was going to be, then he left. I told Dr. He that I remembered him having said that it was going to be for “Two teeth” and so I’d asked Hilberto what he’d meant. Dr. He wanted to know why I hadn’t just asked him. I explained that I’d thought that Hilberto knew but Dr. He responded that assistants don’t know anything. Then he finally remembered why he’d said “two teeth”. He’d meant that the clasp would range over the width of two teeth above the denture.

            The new denture had a different shaped clasp than the first one. While the other clasp looked like pterodactyl wings, this one had parts that pointed down making it look more like it had bat wings. When I put it in the bite was off and so I had to remove it a few times after biting into an impression sheet for him to grind it down. After a couple of times it was fine.

            He stressed that this denture might eventually also start falling out and the best option for me would be an implant. I told him I couldn’t even afford to go down to Buffalo to get an implant for $1000. He didn’t believe one could get an implant in the States for that cheap.

            I was about to leave when he reminded me that I’d asked for a cleaning and told me that the office had found that I could get a cleaning now under my coverage. I sat back down, but then he told me that I would have to pay some of the fee. I told him that I’d been coming there ever since 2010 and had never had to pay. He informed me that they are cracking down and that he could get punished if he treated me for free. I asked if that was the case with all types of treatment and he confirmed that it was. I said that might mean that I wouldn’t be able to come back there at all. He just responded with, “Sorry”.

            I stopped at reception to inquire on this issue. The young woman told me that the college and my insurance provider have gotten stricter. She stated that all these years that I’ve gotten fully covered I should have only been covered for 70% of the fees. If insisted that if they let me have any more free work then they could be shut down. She offered that if I were able to pay as little as $40 though, I could probably get a cleaning from Dr. He.

            I left feeling a bit depressed. I might have to try another dental clinic to see if I can get free work done again. I guess there is also the possibility of going to a dental school to get work done. Maybe that would be the solution to getting an implant as well.

            The denture felt pretty firm as I rode home in the rain and removing it was harder than the old one, so maybe it will at least last until after my performance on June 3^rd.

            I changed into some dry clothes and made lunch. I’d cooked some chickpeas before leaving for the dentist’s office. When I got back I sautéed some onions and garlic, then added them to the beans. I added some chopped tomatoes and tomato paste, as well as paprika and cayenne. It made a pretty good soup. After eating I took a siesta.

            That evening I had to work up the street at Artists 25. It was nice that the rain had stopped but it was still a little chillier than it had been the day before, so I wore my motorcycle jacket.

            The door was unlocked and the studio was empty when I arrived. Cy walked in a few minutes later. I guessed he’d opened up before and then gone out to buy something. I told him that while he’d been out a bunch of guys came in and took a lot of valuable stuff and told me that Cy said it was okay. He confirmed that it was fine with him.

            Two female members of the group who are usually there when I work at A-25 came to draw me this time as well. One of them declared that she had only come that night because I’m such a great model and she knew that I was going to be posing. That was nice to hear.

            I told Cy about George Elliot Clarke having gotten lost trying to find the U of T Mississauga campus and we discussed other people we’ve known that have no sense of direction. An ex-girlfriend of mine could stand at the corner of Yonge and Queen without knowing which way was north and he said he knew someone like that as well.

            At the end of the night I told them that I’d seen a dead coyote in Toronto on my way out to Mississauga. That led to a discussion about how smart coyotes seem to be. They have the most complex vocabulary of any mammal in North America and they even make friends with other species in the wild. They have been seen snuggling up to badgers on the prairie and they help each other hunt for rats.

            I got paid $45 and I mentioned that I especially appreciated having some money on the day before my birthday.