"I am 32 years old, of sound mind and body, and to this day I firmly believed I was tricked. I grew up in rural Nova Scotia. My parents moved there from Newfounland before I born. I have a sister who is four years younger than I. We had a normal upbringing. We did what the average children would do; play sports, listen to music and hang out with friends, the average activities of teenagers. Our parents both had careers, and we grew up in a nice home in a quiet little village, which was across the river from a small town. In the small town there were basically all the amentaties that a person who lived in the country would need; grocery stores, banks, a hospital,doctors, and all the little specialty shops we enjoyed visiting. There was also the grade school and the high school. My sister and I attended the same schools and the high school was close to the mall, a place that as teenagers we visited a lot. This mall also contained the one place that many teenagers despise, the dentist office. We were fortunate to have working parents that had medical and dental plans. They made sure we had whatever we needed; glasses, hospital visits, medicines and the hated visit to the dentist. My sister and I both had our share of dental problems. I look back now and am thankful that my Mom and Dad could afford to pay the dentist to correct the problems and have our teeth cared for because we both now have straight healthy teeth, but that was after I was tricked. Almost everyone knows what itâs like to be a teenager. The most awkward years of your life are those teenager years. Hormone changes, growth spurts, zits, and all the time trying to blend in and appear to be normal. God forbid if you stood out in the crowd too much, youâd be the object of many a laugh. Remember this was small town N.S. in the mid eighties. Then I was tricked, I stood out, and I got made fun of. One afternoon I was off to the dentist for one of my many yearly visits. The dentistâs office was in the mall beside my high school. I had the routine down to an art. Mom would make my appointment and after classes I would walk to the mall have my check up and Mom would pick me up. Same as every other time--until the day I was tricked! I arrived at the dentist office, on time as usual,and told the lady at the desk I was there. She would say ã have a seat weâll be with you soonä. Finally I was called in and prepped for the usual poking and picking and lecture that I have to floss more. The dentist came in and said hi and began his work. I was being picked at longer than usual I thought, but was not overly concerned. After what seemed to be a long time I started to get a little worried as to what was happening in my mouth. Finally he was done and propped me up in the chair and said see you next time, usual thing he always said. I walked out to the waiting area and Mom was there to take me home. As usual she talked to the lady setting up the next appointment while I got my coat. I rubbed my tongue over my teeth and felt something that didnât belong. As we weâre leaving I told Mom I was going to the bathroom and would be right along. I walked in the bathroom and looked in the mirror. My heart sank. BRACES!!! Why was I not told! Mom never told me, the dentist never told me, nobody told me!! I was tricked! How could I go on? I couldnât go back to school everyone would make fun of me! But I was sent to school, and off I went. Now at 32 it seems pretty funny.My family and I laugh about this story. Nobody will admit they tricked me and I donât push the matter. But to be honest everytime I see a dentist now I make quite clear to him that I donât want braces. John David Lowe Brace Free!! "   Submitted By: NULL