THE LUNAR REPORT - "TOOTHLESS SMILE" May 3, 2010
My mouth is like Eastern Europe in the1970’s. One by one, all the nations in there are falling to the Evil Empire. Tooth decay and gum disease.
My son asked me the other day, “So what’s up with your teeth?” I can always count on that man to be honest and up front. And contrary to his behavior that day, I told him, “Too much crystal meth.” “Dad!” was his reply. I couldn’t help it. Blame it on TV. I learned that from A&E’s “Intervention.” Or maybe, “Cops.”
Nevertheless. It is happening. I’m losing my teeth. I will deal with it. I have to. Campbell's just doesn’t make enough product to satisfy me forever. And Progresso? Forget it! I just pray to God that I don’t become one of those old guys who pulls his store boughts out to shock the grand kids!
I was close to dealing head on with this situation a year or so ago. I told a dentist that I was looking forward to eating peanuts and corn on the cob again. She said to me, “Oh that will never happen. Those commercials on TV about being able to eat whatever you want with dentures, well, they’re just wrong.” So I backed out. I mean, what was the point? If I still couldn’t eat the good stuff, right?
Well, now the smile is affected. I rely on my smile. When I moved on from a job in Durham, NC in the early ‘80s, one of the guys there said to me, “We will miss your ever present smile.” I took that to heart. Maybe I have a Miss America complex. Or John Edward’s complex. Okay. Bad choice there. “Politician’s syndrome.” Better? But folks do respond to my smiles. They respond to everyone’s smiles.
I’ve been hiding that smile. For weeks now. Or at least I’ve tried. Obviously, I’m fooling no one.
They can tell I am hiding what usually comes so naturally. But, it is embarrassing. I never thought I would ever again think such a thing, let alone admit it. But it is.
Naturally, I guess, I’ve been noticing smiles of others these days. You know, there are some beautiful teeth being flashed out there. Many of them are the product of all the whitening chemicals so easily found in drugstores and grocery stores. You can tell. And those with absolutely perfect teeth are so proud, they show off their smiles at the drop of a hat. And that’s a good thing. You can see and feel their pride. It’s contagious, really.
But then I see many others. Others whose teeth aren’t quite white enough, maybe not quite straight enough, or even not there enough. Like mine. And their smiles are just as impressive as the perfectly
colored and balanced teeth of the Crest Whitening crowd.
I’ve noticed a lot about smiles lately. I’ve noticed what I guess I have known in my heart for some time. There are good smiles and bad smiles. There are fake smiles and genuine ones. Teeth do not make
the difference.
I’ve noticed these past few weeks that no one smiles with their mouth. Or with their teeth. They smile with their eyes. They always have. Always will. My son does. The love of his life does. My Mom does. So many others. So many good ones do. My grandchildren don’t even know they have teeth when they smile. And their smiles are the most genuine of all. Their eyes do the trick.
Teeth are tools for chewing. Eyes, well. They are tools for feeling. And communicating. And for smiling.
So the next time you see me, I will smile. As I do, you can look at the ruins of an oppressive regime if you want. But to see the real thing, look in my eyes. Even in the months to come. After Eastern Europe is rebuilt. The smile will be as it’s always been. Visible most genuinely in the eyes.
My son asked me the other day, “So what’s up with your teeth?” I can always count on that man to be honest and up front. And contrary to his behavior that day, I told him, “Too much crystal meth.” “Dad!” was his reply. I couldn’t help it. Blame it on TV. I learned that from A&E’s “Intervention.” Or maybe, “Cops.”
Nevertheless. It is happening. I’m losing my teeth. I will deal with it. I have to. Campbell's just doesn’t make enough product to satisfy me forever. And Progresso? Forget it! I just pray to God that I don’t become one of those old guys who pulls his store boughts out to shock the grand kids!
I was close to dealing head on with this situation a year or so ago. I told a dentist that I was looking forward to eating peanuts and corn on the cob again. She said to me, “Oh that will never happen. Those commercials on TV about being able to eat whatever you want with dentures, well, they’re just wrong.” So I backed out. I mean, what was the point? If I still couldn’t eat the good stuff, right?
Well, now the smile is affected. I rely on my smile. When I moved on from a job in Durham, NC in the early ‘80s, one of the guys there said to me, “We will miss your ever present smile.” I took that to heart. Maybe I have a Miss America complex. Or John Edward’s complex. Okay. Bad choice there. “Politician’s syndrome.” Better? But folks do respond to my smiles. They respond to everyone’s smiles.
I’ve been hiding that smile. For weeks now. Or at least I’ve tried. Obviously, I’m fooling no one.
They can tell I am hiding what usually comes so naturally. But, it is embarrassing. I never thought I would ever again think such a thing, let alone admit it. But it is.
Naturally, I guess, I’ve been noticing smiles of others these days. You know, there are some beautiful teeth being flashed out there. Many of them are the product of all the whitening chemicals so easily found in drugstores and grocery stores. You can tell. And those with absolutely perfect teeth are so proud, they show off their smiles at the drop of a hat. And that’s a good thing. You can see and feel their pride. It’s contagious, really.
But then I see many others. Others whose teeth aren’t quite white enough, maybe not quite straight enough, or even not there enough. Like mine. And their smiles are just as impressive as the perfectly
colored and balanced teeth of the Crest Whitening crowd.
I’ve noticed a lot about smiles lately. I’ve noticed what I guess I have known in my heart for some time. There are good smiles and bad smiles. There are fake smiles and genuine ones. Teeth do not make
the difference.
I’ve noticed these past few weeks that no one smiles with their mouth. Or with their teeth. They smile with their eyes. They always have. Always will. My son does. The love of his life does. My Mom does. So many others. So many good ones do. My grandchildren don’t even know they have teeth when they smile. And their smiles are the most genuine of all. Their eyes do the trick.
Teeth are tools for chewing. Eyes, well. They are tools for feeling. And communicating. And for smiling.
So the next time you see me, I will smile. As I do, you can look at the ruins of an oppressive regime if you want. But to see the real thing, look in my eyes. Even in the months to come. After Eastern Europe is rebuilt. The smile will be as it’s always been. Visible most genuinely in the eyes.
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The first step on the way to victory is to recognize the enemy.
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