Flashing my big new grin

At Jubilee, all is forgiven! That is because last night when I was shopping on the way to my mom's, the checkout girl stopped and stared at me.

"You got your braces off!" she exclaimed.

Yes!!

I said, "That is so nice of you to notice!"

She said she had had braces for about four years, from about 6th through 10th grade, did I get that right? It was an awfully long time and the only reason her ortho finally took them off was because she had to go to the prom the next day and she just insisted.

When I am through with my book on Leonard Pennario I am going to write a book about braces. They are fascinating!

My ortho and I spent my first non-braces day posting noble pronouncements on each other's Facebook pages.

First I wrote that he was the Leonard Pennario of orthodontia.

And he wrote: "Thank you for that high compliment. I'm just doing my job the only way I know."

Just like Pennario! See, I call 'em as I see 'em.

My ortho then wrote:

"It was a pleasure having you as a patient. Remember, the orthodontist is only as good as his/her patient. I need cooperative patients to achieve the results I do. You were terrific and did everything I asked. Thank you!"

My ortho is Dr. Kevin Hanley in case anyone else in Buffalo has too many teeth and wants to get the situation straightened out. That is his Facebook picture to the left! I lucked out, I am telling you, because one day after Gloria, Pennario's diva friend, had gotten to me, I saw his office right in my neighborhood and I walked in. And they got me started that very day! I was lucky. Here no one had referred me or anything. I was just this walk-in. And yet he is the greatest! He is the Leonard Pennario of teeth, I am not kidding.

The Jubilee clerk told me, "Isn't it great, not having to get your braces tightened? When I used to get my braces tightened, I never wanted to talk to anyone. I used to just sit in my room."

We were laughing that now all that is behind us! Other people in line at Jubilee were laughing too.

Hmmmm. Last night was the night Ugly Betty was supposed to have maybe been getting rid of her braces.

I wonder if that came off!