Christopher's Trip to the Dentist

        When we arrived at the dentist which is in the high street opposite the greengrocers where they sell really nice apples which are all red and shiny and the skin gets stuck between your teeth. Father told me to sit down nicely on one of the chairs in the waiting room whilst he told the lady behind the desk that I was there. The lady appeared to be very short and fat but I did not know whether this was because she was sitting down or because she was short and fat anyway. I didn’t know where to sit because there were lots of other people in the waiting room and I did not want to sit next to any of them because I do not like people. I chose to sit in the corner next to the fish tank because there was no one else there and there were enough seats for me and Father to both sit down and that way I could look at the fish swimming around in their little tank filled with lots of water.

        When Father came over he told me that we would only be waiting a little while because Mr Patel was just finishing with his patient. I sat and stared at all the fish until I noticed one which was not moving so I started tapping on the glass which made Father annoyed so he asked me to stop so I did as I always do as I am told as it is polite towards Father. So I told Father that I thought the fish was dead and he told me not to worry as it was probably just sleeping so I just left it to sleep. After five minutes a man came out of room eight rubbing his jaw and on the door it said ‘Mr Patel’ this made me worried as the man looked like he was in pain and I do not like being in pain so I got really nervous. Mr Patel then appeared and called my name so Father and I stood up and went into his room. It took us 10 steps from the chairs we were sitting on until we reached the door where Mr Patel shook my hand and started talking to Father. He was telling Father about the appointment and I do not like it when people do not talk to me when they are talking about me it makes me really worried and I always think that adults are being rude when they do this.

When Father and Mr Patel stopped talking Mr Patel asked me to sit in his special chair which moves into lots of positions when Mr Patel wants to look into your mouth. I sat in the chair and Mr Patel started asking me questions about what I had been doing at school and what I want to do when I am a grown up and all the kind of questions that adults ask when it is awkward or they do not know you very well. He then asked me to open my mouth as wide as I could so he could take a proper look inside. I like Mr Patel because he understands me and he always explains things clearly to me so that I do not get confused and so that I understand so my appointment is quicker and he tries not to touch me unless it is absolutely necessary because he knows I don’t like people touching me.

        My Patel did not spend long looking inside my mouth as he said he could see clearly enough that there were no problems with my teeth and that I obviously brush them well enough that there should not be problems anyway. This made me happy as it meant we could now leave the dentist and go to the museum like Father promised as I had been good and I did not bite Mr Patel this time. I got up from Mr Patel’s special chair and he gave me a piece of paper to give to the short fat lady behind the desk (not that he said that as it is rude to say it out loud) he then waved goodbye to me and shook Father’s hand and just before I left he offered me a sticker but I said no thank you because I think they make my clothes look untidy. Father and I went back out to the reception and I gave the lady behind the desk my piece of paper and she said someone would be in touch to make another appointment. I did not understand what she meant by this but I was not really too bothered because I was happy and I was going to the museum to look at all the scientific facts about the universe and other special things.