"You take really good care of your back teeth," the hygienist said.

Yeah. Back when I was 18, our family dentist argued that he should pull my emerging wisdom teeth.

"They're just going to get in the way, and fill up with cavities."

Guess I've been taking care of them all these years just to spite him.

She was in an unusually chatty mood today, full of questions.

You know, those questions they ask when your mouth is full of water and utensils so there's no way you can answer them? Is carrying on one-sided conversations part of the coursework for dental schools?

At one point, I just grabbed the sucking hose and pulled it out, answered her question, and then put the hose back in.

She seemed surprised.

As usual, the dentist also was full of conversation. It seems to come with the job (mine, not his). He, too, has been to Waterton Lakes. Once.

And bicycled home. Geez.

I asked: No, they did not search his bike when he pedaled through customs at the border.

He also mentioned a news article about one of my favorite places:

www.wyomingnews.com/articles/2010/08/18/outdoors/1out_07-25-10.txt

And yeah, I left off part of the link on purpose. The newspaper doesn't need to know about this place.