I was imagining what it would be like to have entirely new teeth because I received an e-mail from the local dental school announcing free dentistry if you’re willing to let dental students work on you. I have crooked teeth because when I was 11 or 12 years old I pitched a fit and refused to return to the orthodontist who was essentially preparing me for braces. I suffered from excruciating headaches owing to my blindness and nervous tension and my mother, sensing that I was already feeling overwhelmed by life decided that I should have my wish and live with crooked teeth.
So I was pondering what it would be like to have a Hollywood, big league American smile and then I started to think about all the other middle aged miseries: the tennis elbow; the gravitational effects of aging flesh; flat feet; creeping double chin; hammer toes; cholesterol; evident hearing loss; political cynicism; nostalgia for nickel candy—I was suddenly awash in the physical and psychological spindrift of middle age and there wasn’t any Diet Coke in the refrigerator.
I was right to choose crooked teeth. I will not invest a dime in the Normalcy Industrial Complex.
Man, am I glad I got that out of the way.
It’s good to be restored to a semblance of sanity. I think that instead of getting my teeth fixed I will go inside a stone like the poet Charles Simic. I will admire the Brailled star charts on the stone’s inner walls.
S.K.
Planet of the Blind 
I periodically contemplate having my 57-year-old body surgically altered in some way. I don’t do it for two reasons: (1) it’s a stupid use of my money and (2) I see no reason to go through all that pain and suffering for the sake of beauty/normalcy.
LikeLike
Ahhh, thanks. I feel much better for having read this, Stephen.
And the Coca-Cola in my fridge is not diet.
LikeLike
“Normalcy Industrial Complex”
Love it! Probably NIC for short.
LikeLike
I think you’re right and that we shouldn’t change ourselves just to meet some (expensive) ideal. I had mine fixed because they were starting to have breakage–to my surprise, most of my headaches went away afterward! Though they were brutal during the two year process, so I’m not sure I’d repeat it.
LikeLike