I made a scene today

These are my covered wagons (planters with shades to protect the plants from the desert sun). They probably don't need these shades any more. We had our most glorious fall day yet - a cloudy morning that turned sunny without blasting us with heat. We even wore sweaters outside this evening (although I was a bit astonished to see that I was chilled at a temperature of 71F). Bob and I read stories in the courtyard tonight, enjoying the brisk evening until my toes demanded more warmth.

Anyway, my scene has nothing to do with the picture here. I have many missing permanent teeth (I blame my Dad, he blames his Dad and so on). My childhood dentist decided to leave 4 baby teeth so that I would not have empty spaces. I have spent my adult life knowing the teeth were ticking time bombs. One year ago, two if those bombs went off and I had those teeth extracted. Today, one more tooth started to make its exit with a big crack. Remarkably, it isn't that painful, but it does bother my lip. I tried a new dentist since I did not like my last dentist. But I found that I liked this dentist even less. She didn't even read or ask for my history. And she only examined the one tooth. She seemed annoyed that I asked her to look at all my teeth. Then she walked off without saying what she would do. Then her staffer came to give me my estimate - $5500 for removing the tooth and making me dentures! The poor woman was constantly running back to the doctor with questions from me that she could not answer. When she came back telling me the tooth was about to abscess but I don't need antibiotics and the oral surgeon can remove the tooth in 8 days, that's when the NY bitch came out from hiding and I demanded to speak with the dentist herself. I am immune suppressed, so any infection is very serious. To tell me that I have an infection but it doesn't require antibiotics or removal of the tooth for 8 days made absolutely no sense. The doctor said there was no infection and that the staff member got it wrong because she could not give her my full history because of HIPPA regulations.

As Joe Biden would say, that's Malarkey! I demanded my Xrays and told her that she needs to learn how to communicate with her staff and her patients.

I am sure she was not only displeased that I was leaving without giving them $5500 but also that all of her other patients could hear everything we said. Instead of having individual exam rooms, this was one big room with partial walls separating the many dentist chairs.

I have to admit that it felt good to be a NY bitch again. I have generally tried to suppress it. Even though it is almost uniformly successful, the recipient generally would prefer not to ever see me again. But lately, I have found my nice girl status has kept me as a low priority for some health care providers. Obviously Ms Bitch needs to get some more frequent exercise.