Most people always say "The Dentist", never giving a name. "I going to the dentist", "I was at the dentist" etc. Last week while sitting in Dr. Jeff Dayhuff's chair, my mind wondered, thinking about my first dental visit in 1959. Originally I went to Jeff's father, Dr. Bill Dayhuff. During this time Jeff's grandfather was practicing also and I thought of him as a very old man. Bill's office was located on North 2nd Street, where the Place Off The Square Hotel is located now. The only part of going to the dentist I liked was seeing a German Shepard dog sitting on the porch roof. The apartment above was occupied by Eric, the display designer for J.J. Carroll's Department Store.For the first 10 years or so of my life, we lived next door to Bill and Jeff. I hated visiting the dentist and did not like our neighbor because of it. I remember one time after a visit, revenge was needed. As you can see in the photo above, in 1959 I had several dental visits. Between our homes was a line of tulip trees, extremely tall when your ten years old, but in fact were probably four feet or so.
I waited for Dr. Dayhuff to come home from the office, as he walked from his detached garage to the home, I tossed my Louisville Slugger (wooden baseball bat) over the trees. As I watched my target, I heard the bat hit the asphalt, I missed. Now I had a mad dentist, who I would be visiting again with all his non-hydraulic belt driven drills, old magazines, two foot long needles and grumpy dentist's father.
The only results of the murder attempt was for the first time in my life I heard fowl language, words I did not even know. I also learned from this experience, that tall men can jump a four foot hedge in one leap.
Last week's appointment brought a comment I have heard often by Dr. Jeff Dayhuff: "You still have fillings from the mid 1960s that are in good shape, my father was really good". Jeff still uses the hand written card that his father began in 1959, but charges more for his services.
It has been a very good relationship.
Very interesting post, given the fact that I took my three daughters to "the dentist" today. Two of them were happy to go. But the oldest one can't stand to go. It sometimes brings her to tears. Maybe I shouldn't let her read this, as to put bad ideas into her head :)
ReplyDeleteSome email responses I received to my blog post, the most I have had for one post in several months:
ReplyDelete"I just read your blog and I have the same memories of the Dayhuff office, minus being their neighbor, of course. I never knew that about you. We started with the Grandfather when we moved here in 1960, then to Bill and now to Jeff. I hear the same thing from Jeff about some of my fillings - we should compare them some time. The only difference - now when I go to the dentist - I don't cry all the way there - I actually enjoy seeing Jeff as opposed to his grandfather and Bill." Marcia Parr
"Great post! Jeff sounds like not only a good dentist but a nice guy." Sean Carpenter, CBKT
"Thanks for these memories of Dr. Dayhuff. I never knew you tried to wipe him out! Dr. Dayhuff was our family dentist, too. Mom always said that she subsidized part of his house in Morgan Manor with all the dental bills she paid for "her girls." Nothing petrified me more than going to the dentist. I even had fillings done without novocain because needles scared me more that then pain. Like you, I still have those fillings that Dr. Dayhuff put in. The next time you see Dr. Jeff, please tell him that I remember his father well, but that I never had thoughts of killing him!!!" Barbara Lewis Sardy (my sister in law of Rhode Island)
"I loved today’s blog about “the dentist”. It truly is a little piece of Americana that should not be lost and to see your record from 1959.. Wow! Great piece!" Judy Pierce
My first memory of going to Dr. Dayhuff: You came with me, bringing your baseball bat as a weapon to use in case he hurt me. You were a good big brother but didn't get to use the bat on him that day. Dr. Bill Dayhuff had a wondeful laugh -- I hope Jeff does, too.
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