PEARLY WHITES

the last time I went
to my dentist
I paid her nearly $200
for x-rays
and a routine cleaning
and that seemed very expensive, to me

luckily, I had no cavities
because who knows how much
those things would have cost?

but when she asked about
my oral hygiene
and learned that I only
usually
brushed my teeth
more than once a day
and probably only for a minute
she recommended that I
always
brush them twice a day
and for two minutes each time

I did some quick math
and calculated that
by following her advice
I would be spending more
than an ENTIRE DAY of each year
brushing my teeth

at first I was appalled
to think of so much time
being spent in front of the sink
just scrubbing away

but it seemed justifiable
after I considered
how much time I spend at the bar
with a big smile on my face

and even more justifiable
when considering how much money
I spend there, too