Yesterday I got my teeth cleaned. Nothing exciting about it, just a routine dental appointment. My first plan for the time during the cleaning was to take a nap. That may not be an activity you would consider during your dental cleanings, but the hygienist at this office is so gentle I have almost been able to doze off in her chair.
I closed my eyes as she was doing her thing, and just as I was getting comfy, I thought about a funny thing I read recently, and it started. I felt the urge to smile, then giggle, and then I suddenly had a case of the giggles. You know, like when you were a kid and for no particular reason got the giggles at bedtime, or sitting in church, or pretty much anywhere that laughter was inappropriate, and impossible to suppress. The more you tried, the more you couldn’t stop.
I was almost at this point yesterday, almost at the point of embarrassing myself. It didn’t quite reach the annoying stage with the hygienist, but I think I was on the verge. I tried to think of sad things, boring things, anything that would wipe the smile right off of my face. Do you know how hard it is to have hands in your mouth when you have to giggle?
And the trigger? I was giggling about…giggling.
“I laughed so hard the tears ran down my leg!”
Saw that recently…I’ll be honest, I have laughed this hard. I only wish it was tears that ran down my leg! Let me tell you, when you suddenly develop a dark streak down the leg of your jeans, it’s hard to explain away! But if it ever happens again, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. That’s right, those are tears!
Thank goodness it was only giggles in the dentist’s office…don’t know if I could have survived the embarrassment if I had tears running down my leg yesterday. The giggling was bad enough. But I made it through without creating an incident that would haunt me for the rest of my life. No need for a change of clothes! And I got a star on my chart for great brushing! How’s that for a successful trip to the dentist?
Grace and Life 
Tears…yes, I’ll have to remember that the next time incontinence strikes! Its definitely more poetic than the marginally believable ‘spilled coffee’ routine I’ve relied upon in the past. (Especially when I didn’t have any coffee in hand to spill.)
Coincidentally, two of my daughters still live in Ketchikan, and one (Flensea) was a dental assistant there for several years. I’m now curious to know how many of her patients used ‘tears of joy’ as the explanation for the dampened dental seat left behind once the procedure was over. 😉
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Well, it is a small world, isn’t it? Amazing that you have family living here. Most people have no clue where Ketchikan is. In fact, Alaska is really a huge unknown to most people in the lower 48, at least in my limited experience!
Yes, I loved this clever way of describing those embarrassing moments. Works for me! Thanks for reading! Sheila
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To Mr. Lawson, it is August 16 2012, I am an old friend of your daughter Flensea. We worked at booeymonger in Washington DC many years ago.My name is Shannon and if possible can you give her my e-mail. i am positive this is the Flensea I know because she was moving to Ketchikan to be a dental assistant ! Thankyou… shanshano@yahoo.com…i am also on facebook ..thankyou
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I need to find your dentist! LOL….
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Yes, I’m lucky to have such a great hygienist, and the dentist is nice too…but I’ve never had the giggles before in that setting, a first for me!
Thanks!
Sheila
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Oh Sheila, thanks for the laugh, and for the knowledge of what to call the stuff running down my leg when I laugh too hard – it’s just tears! Sounds so much nicer than – uh – non-tears!
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Yep, that’s what I thought too! I thought this was such a clever take on that experience, one that I’m sure is pretty familiar to a lot of people (women!) Although I think I’ve only officially had something run down my leg twice (as an adult!) I definitely understand how easy it is to laugh too hard and then have to deal with the consequences! ~Sheila
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