Days Without Alcohol -71
Having booked a first class train ticket so that I could work on the long ride home I discovered that not only were the plugs not working in the carriage, but also I was in the only part of the train where the free wi-fi was broken. It was also pretty full and they didn't have my lunch choice, but apart from that it was well worth the extra money! I had thought I should complain and ask for a refund, but of course I was too timid to do so. All I managed was "The plugs aren't working" to which the guard said, "Yes I know. I will try and twiddle with it at the next station." But he didn't. Or he did then nothing happened.
I managed to get some work done anyway, but was pretty tired, so maybe I would have just wasted my time on the internet if I had been able to get it.
I got to Kings Cross and bought myself a bagel for a very late lunch. Again I had an opportunity to complain which I shied away from. I got a bagel with salmon in it. There was a salmon and cream cheese bagel on the menu for £3.40, but I didn't want cream cheese. The bagel with just salmon it in, identical to the one on the menu in all respects, except that it had less ingredients in it, cost £4.20. I thought about questioning this or asking what would have happened if I'd asked for salmon classic bagel without the cream cheese, but instead I just paid up and left. But it is surely ridiculous to charge someone more for getting less. I should have just asked for the cream cheese and then scraped it off.
Perhaps I should have had the cream cheese, it might have softened my sandwich, because three minutes later as I chewed into this innocuous enough bagel I heard an ominous crunch and spitting out my food into my hand discovered a small, but not insignificant piece of tooth amongst the bread and fish. I had cracked a tooth on a salmon bagel - it had poppy seeds on it, but still that is quite an achievement.
The tooth that had broken was the one that I have had quite a lot of work on (indeed you can read about the unbreakable nature of the filling
here - it hasn't even lasted a year).
I was slightly unclear as to whether it was tooth or filling that had come out, but as the filling was made out of porcelain and should not have broken, I can only assume it was part of the remaining tooth that had fallen away, but it was hard to tell from looking at the particle in my hand. Sure enough I have a sizeable fissure in the back of my tooth, which I have been unable to leave alone since, even though I fear that it might cause more of it to fall out. I have been constantly probing the crack with my tongue, enjoying the danger and the odd sensation. I am constantly dreaming about my teeth falling out and wondered if this might just be another reverie and perhaps I would wake up at any moment to find myself still on the train. But it seems to be real and is surely a further sign of my advancing years if bits of my mouth furniture are cracking and decaying.
I went to the dentist once I got home and the receptionist told me that I couldn't get an appointment until the 1st April (surely the worst day to see the dentist - he might knock out all your teeth as a joke - I know I would). Luckily I am in no kind of pain, but I am slightly concerned that more damage may be done in the meantime. Though there is a part of me that would quite like this troublesome tooth to just fall out so that it can never bother me again. I've got loads more and none of them give me as much trouble. It's not even one of the main ones, just hidden away at the back. It's just showing off to get attention and to allow it to decay completely would teach it a valuable lesson. I am reminded of the story of the Aussie Rules footballer who was troubled by a persistent finger injury that kept side-lining him from playing in the matches, so he had it amputated. That is the most Australian thing I have ever heard of.
Anyway, maybe I should make an example of this tooth as a warning to the others. For the moment I am quite enjoying the suspense.
