a good friend of mine is fond of saying ‘you worried ’bout the wrong thang.” i must agree that she is right. for two weeks i’ve had a dull ache in my lower right incisor (next to the molar for those who aren’t into teeth) and it happens to be one in which i had a root canal at 15. so i figured, decay can’t be possible, there’s nothing left of the tooth.  i let a week pass.  the ache continued. i then thought, maybe it’s the tooth next to it. oh gawd. do i need another root canal? is it decay between the teeth? but i floss and brush twice a day! i finally make the dental appointment. trepidation as i listen to the ring, ring, waiting for her to pick up.

carrie answers. “how long has this been bothering you? can you come in at 11 on tuesday?” i say yes. hang up the phone. scared. i have NEVER, in my adult life, been afraid of the dentist. now as a child, that was a different story. i went to the little shop of horrors dentist for many years and he was an ASSHOLE. not good with kids, especially terror stricken sobbing ones. but i digress. as i’m driving to the dentist i think of my sister’s good friend who has ALS. he’s only 42. i stiffened. how dare i be frightened of a toothache while this man watches his fingers and toes curl into misshapen knots before his eyes. his body unwilling to do what his brain tells it, at least not at the same speed. he struggles to sit up in a chair and yet he is working toward his master’s. and here i am, afraid of the dental report.

i then watched a 29 minutes YouTube video about shutting down the Uganda leader of the LRA, Joseph Kony. thousands of children like those in Sudan, Sierra Leon, Chad, were forced into soldiering for this crazed tyrant. and the world watches, or doesn’t, because we are glued to the republican primary or bruno mars on the grammys or whitney houston’s funeral.  much like we watched the oj trial in 1994 while millions of rwandese were slaughtered.

since i like to write letters and since i’ve been wondering what the hell am i here for, i’ve decided to support TRI as they press the US government to remain in uganda. donations, letters to congress and good ol’ on my knees praying.

as for my sister’s friend, i will honor his battle with 42 minutes a day for 42 days – walking, because he can’t.