Birthdays can be celebrated in so many ways.
Cakes, candles, champagne. Milestone birthdays necessitate a milestone celebration – an overseas trip for the nearest, which can be a bit dear for some. Actually, isn’t every birthday a milestone worth celebrating? Giving cold water mid night showers is a given in most hostels, closely followed by loud bumps. A formal sit-down dinner with candle lights is romantic for a couple, while more raucous celebrations with cake smearings has become mode du jour for teenagers.
And then, there is me – celebrating her 40+ birthday. And as I say always, how much plus I ain’t telling ya.
“What do you want for your birthday?” , asks the husband a few days prior at start of the birthday month. Birthday Month , that is another new occasion to savour.
“Extract my tooth.”
“What?”
I have been having trouble with this absolutely erring wisdom tooth, which cannot be rescued. No root-canal, no cap. Get it out. We have had our fair share of “wisdom tooth extraction” jokes aimed at me. I have silently borne the brunt of it all because the pain at times has been so excruciating that I am willing to laugh at myself, just so that I feel better. It was meant to be plucked out some months back ; but between this and that ; it never happened. Now, I wanted it out.
“It’s not troubling you as much. Let’s celebrate your birthday then you can. The extraction might cause swelling or hurt even after the extraction.”, He offers advise.
“It might flare up again,” I said. “I just want it gotten over with.”
And with that background, I fixed a dental appointment two days prior the birthday; effectively making it D-Day. The procedure was handled most efficiently by the dentist ; and everything went swimmingly well. I was massively relieved once the wayward tooth was removed.
My local anesthesia was still on and therefore the pain hadn’t yet kicked in.
“How are you feeling?” asked the husband.
“I just dig this intermediate period of semi-trance. You know it’s going to pain after a while ; but right now I am just so relieved that my tooth has been removed that I falsely believe that the forthcoming pain is surmountable. It is like that glorious situation when you are engaged ; but not yet married.”
“What? You are comparing a tooth-extraction to an engagement.”
” Its same like I am going to have luscious vanilla ice-cream now too. I will be fine in two days for the birthday. And by the way, when a tooth is extracted before the birthday, it seems the tooth-fairy gives diamonds.”
“What? There is no such thing. …I can’t believe you are talking so softly when you are demanding so much.” He observed.
“I can barely open my mouth.” , I muttered though my swollen, numb jaw.
“But still you are talking nineteen to the dozen..”
“This is isn’t my dozen. My dozen is loud; and snappy.”
“That’s true. Perhaps, you should have a tooth extraction every now and then. Only time, I have heard you speak so softly.”
I am waiting for the anesthesia to wear off completely.
This charming man has absolutely no idea I have only extracted my tooth ; my fangs are still intact.
What’s not to celebrate? Happies the happy to me 🙂
22nd November 2019