At 01:46 PM 5/7/2012, Rocket J Squirrel wrote:
>I've had root canals that were less trouble than removing the dash.

Well of course.  You just lie there with your mouth open for a while
and then cough up a lot of money.

Fair warning though -- the anesthetic for numbers 7 and 8 (two middle
upper front teeth) feels a bit like being struck by lightning, 'cause
there's no place for it to go.  Good time to be holding the
assistant's hand, or I find it so - not being the man Who Had
Experience of Pain.*

*Went to the doc in -- was it Millinocket or Mooselookmeguntic? --
with a carbuncle on his neck, back when they had carbuncles.  Doc
sucks his teeth, says young feller that's quite a swell one, going to
have to lance it of course.  Going to hurt plenty, I'd better give
you something for it.  Man says that's ok doc, I'll be all right.  I
have had Experience of Pain.  Doc says ok, it's your funeral, and
sets to work.  Half an hour later he's done, the hydra has been
beheaded and bandaged, and Mister Man hasn't turned a hair.  He says
how much and the doc says that'll be a dollar I guess.  So he pays
and sets out to leave, but the doc stops him and says young feller,
I've never seen anyone toss something off like you just did.  I guess
you *have* had experience of pain.  Would you mind awfully telling me
what happened?  Man says not at all doc, the second most painful
experience in my life was when I was out in the woods one day and
found nature come a'calling.  So I slipped behind a tree and arranged
myself when it was brought to my attention that I'd managed to set up
shop on top of a bear trap.  Doc's eyes get big and round and he
cringes a little and says well I guess!  But if that was only the
second most painful experience -- I'm 'most afraid to ask about the
first.  Aw heck, says the man.  That was when I come to the end of the chain.

With apologies to John Gould, may his memory be eternal

Yours,
David