Not just my problem

So, the time with my brace is ticking along nicely. Almost five whole months. I feel we are a pretty tight unit now and changes are to be seen.

It still amuses me when I acknowledge acknowledgements. There was a particularly eye-opening episode when I went to visit my sister recently. She has a male friend who is a perfectly formed human being from Dubai. He wouldn’t look out of place modelling Armani. And he knows it.

So, the Armani model is clearly highly image conscious, the type who would blatantly crane their neck to look for a designer label on your handbag. Or to be able to guess your perfume as he wafts past each cheek kissing loudly. The kind of person who genuinely thinks that each sentence should end with “Fabulous” or “Darling”. You know the type.

I knew, I just knew, he would acknowledge my brace vocally and publicly. Luckily, I braced myself (no pun intended).

 

We were having some drinks before a night out and he strutted into the room, instantly filling it with decadence. “MWAH MWAH, lovely to see you daahhhhhling!” Naturally, I obliged. 

He sat on the sofa. Legs crossed. Pinky finger pert. His eyes were wide, his moisturised lips pouted. I opened my mouth to relive an anecdote. As soon as I spoke, his pinky lost stiffness, one of his perfectly plucked eyebrow became raised, his mouth became slightly ajar. His finger flung rapidly into the air.

...

“Ummm DAHHHHLING” he exclaimed, “WHAT is with the retainer”?! There. Like that. Out loud. So publicly. Yet, oddly, so refreshing. The others squirmed in their seats, so typically British.

I laughed. Told him it wasn’t a retainer, instead a ceramic train track brace. His reaction was so honest and natural “OH WOW. You know, I rulllly rullllly admire that. I rulllly want to sort my teeth out but just don’t have the guts. It’s cute. FABULOUS”

And that was it, the elephant left my mouth for a while and it wasn’t mentioned again. In fact, his reaction mimicked others. I would say 8 people out of 10 mention their dissatisfaction with their teeth when my brace is spoken about. Surprisingly high. That alone makes me a little bit proud of my decision and my philosophy which goes with it. 

I cannot wait to celebrate properly, with my perfect smile.