I had my first cavity filled today. And now there’s a hole in my face. An invisible one. And in this hole I store nuts for winter, eggplants. In this hole I keep secrets and mouthwash vapors. I sing songs about getting the party started. My dentist, Dr. Sunberg, plopped the hole in my face with her red eyes and face mask. She coughed behind that face mask. She had talked with her assistant (who shoved objects into my mouth to keep my jaws from collapsing) about how my tongue was “pesky” and “had a mind of its own" They talked amongst each other as though I were asleep. They talked about winning an award at the bank for paying the rent on time and the grooves of my teeth and how to smooth them with sharp objects made in China by people without teeth.
