Chandler has an abcessed tooth --- well alright, these things happen... It needs to be pulled --- OK, it's only a baby tooth...we can do this.... He's gonna need a gadget to keep the other teeth from moving into the new space --- Well....uh...fine, it's not the end of the world.... And so Chandler & I venture over to Dr. Bloom's office to take care of this little problem. I'm impressed with how happy & cool Chandler is. We play Tic Tac Toe while we're waiting in the..........er......waiting room. I show him a couple of strategies that'll likely mark the end of Tic Tac Toe games that don't end in draws. And then it's time to go in. Dr. Bloom has terrific kid skills. Chandler hops up on the examining table, while the good doctor prepares the X-ray film... ...and then, the switch flips. It's a mood swing on a par with a Muhammed Ali punch. Like something out of thin air... Later Dr. Bloom would tell me that it was likely a sensitive gag reflex, but all I know at the time is my stoic child instantly becomes one very scared 7-year-old, and as we try to reason with him, he'll have no part of that big film-holding device in his mouth. "I want my mommmmmmy!" My heart breaks. So we skip the X-rays, but next comes the device over his nose for the nitrous oxide, and he's pretty scared of it, too. I stay out of the way, and let Dr. Bloom and his assistant do their thing, and eventually Chandler calms down. His screams become occasional whimpers, and I'm left with time to reflect the moment. If only I'd implemented a more aggressive dental policy at the house. Tooth brushing just hasn't carried the same cachet as homework or cello practice. If only I'd been more proactive in our children's dental office visits, especially since this was the first time any of them had seen the inside of one. The kids don't come with an owner's manual, and I'm not sure when they should start seeing a dentist on a regular basis, but it suddenly seems obvious that seven years is too long. This was all so avoidable, and now I'm watching my first-born writhe around on the examining table while Dr. Bloom gets his pliers ready. Chandler gets so scared and choked up that he actually rolls over to his side and throws up on the floor. And I can't keep the tears back. "OK, the tooth is out. Chandler was very brave, and he did a great job of recovering after he gagged. Most kids would've been finished by then, but he was a trooper. So how's Dad doing?" I give a half-laugh, and then begin sobbing uncontrollably. Once it's all done, Chandler is back to his regular happy-kid self, and a new Nintendo 64 cartridge from Game Crazy really seals the deal. But even a used copy of MIB 2 isn't going fix ol' pop. The self-image of greatness has been shattered. Papa dropped the ball on this one, and all I can do at this point is retrench and make sure Chandler's sisters get their chompers looked at pronto. Next week, things will swing completely to the other pole. Chandler makes his public debut on cello January 24th. As a member of the Parker Elementary Cello squad, he will make us very proud. His dad will be the one in the back of the crowd trying to videotape the show while crying like an infant. I can't wait.