A Trip to the Dentist

Going to the dentist was a torture as a child. I remember one particular trip with my father to see Dr. Hennen. First, the waiting room where we were given mercury to play with. Yes, that's right! One of the most dangerous elements on the planet. We would roll it around in our hands and marvel at the incredible silver sheen it left on our skin. No one cautioned us about dropping it...it was considered harmless. I wonder if mercury poisoning accountants for my current eccentricities.
Dr. Hennen was very OLD!! His hands shook so badly that you feared he might miss your mouth all together and extract something necessary from your nose or another orifice. On this particular trip he informed my dad that my teeth were so crooked that I needed braces. As my dad explained that he had nine children and could not afford braces I secretly cheered. Years later when I could afford to pay for braces myself, I asked my dentist about getting them (I was in my 20's) and he said, "Look at my teeth, they are crooked and I had braces!"...so I guess that was not a recommendation.
Times have changed, but a trip to the dentist is still no Strawberry Festival.