Wednesday, October 12, 2011

In"dentured" Servants

Today, Kathy and I took Grandma to her dentist appointment. This was her final appointment for her bottom dentures, Hooray!!! I can't believe the stuff I get excited for now. I parked the car in front of Grandma's apartment building, while Kathy ran up to collect Grandma. While waiting, I noticed another elderly woman walking out of the building with her walker, staring at me. I tried not to look at her and hoped she would just go away, but she kept staring. I realized, I was blocking a ramp,so I rolled down my window, and sweetly, too sweetly really, asked, "Do you need me to move?"
The old bag answered in a very condescending tone, "Uh-huh, yes, I do. I need to get by" This made me instantly regret being so sweet to her. I pulled back, clearing the ramp, and then, just as I was contemplating pulling up as she crossed in front of me, just to give her a little tap, she said "Thank you sweetie," in a very sincere tone. This is why the elderly suck. You can't trust them, because they change on a dime. I can be having a very nice conversation with my grandma about baseball or a book. I'll think I am such a bitch, how can I get aggravated with my grandma, she really is so sweet. But as soon as she feels like I am making her walk too fast, or I buy the wrong wipes (???) she completely loses her shit and turns into a different person.
Once we got to the dentist, Grandma was taken to the back by one of the hygienists. Said hygienist returned shortly after to hand me Grandma's teeth. "These are her old ones," she said.
"Oh, Thank you," I replied sarcastically. This just seems like too much information to have about my grandma, holding her teeth in my hands. On an unrelated note it has come to the attention of both Kathy and myself that everytime we go the dentist's office with Grandma, "Hey Soul Sister" by Train is playing. Just an observation.
To cap off the visit, I am asked by Grandma's dentist "to come on back and take a look at what they did to my grandma." I feel like protesting immediately. "I don't need to see it, really, I'm sure it's great."
"We extracted two teeth," he says excitedly, "and then we put this bottom piece in." Grandma's mouth is opened as he demonstrates how to take it out and put it back in.
Why the fuck are you showing me this? I desperately want to ask. I'm not going to be reaching in and taking my grandmother's dentures out. You don't think I do that, right? That just seems kind of weird. And then he claims that my grandmother is very "stoic, and would never complain if the dentures were bothering her, but she needs to call him if there is any problem." He must have her confused with someone else, or she must put on one hell of an act for him. My grandma is a lot of things, but I would never describe her as stoic. I mean, Anne Frank is stoic, Gandhi is stoic.
Grandma, not so stoic.
JoJO

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