Wednesday, 11 May 2016

Four dentists in Lahore ...



I was in Lahore once 
Paul said - in a cafe, drinking lassi - 

Telling the story, he shrugged off his coat of years - 

I looked up he said - 

Down one side of the cafe, over the heads of the customers, I could see four dentists chairs, big old fashioned dentists chairs -

You'd have to climb up into them - 

Over each black chair there was a sign, with the name of the dentist - 

One had a sign saying "Dentist, Canterbury Failed" - 

There was a queue of people waiting for that chair - 

They were all of them far gone - they had lumps and bumps showing through their cheeks -

They had to move treadles with their bare feet to work the drills - the faster they pedalled, the faster the drill went round - 

Did they cry out ? I asked - 

No said Paul - they just pedalled and opened their mouths - 

No one took any notice - 


11.30
Wednesday 11 May 2016

Swanage 


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