A piece of fabric laid out and a selection of tools
outdoors by the road near the other vendors.
The man hawks as all hawkers hawk.
He promises, cajoles, lures, relieves.
Tooth pain is everything.
You pay first.
It's still a lot to pay, but you can afford this treatment.
Well, there's almost no choice.
You sit on a small piece of red fabric,
and he picks up one of the tools, the chisel.
You open your mouth.
Into your mouth go the chisel and the hacksaw.
Into your mouth goes the ice pick.
The man distracts you with a comment,
and then he applies fast intense pressure until the browning
tooth cracks.
Around you, the sky means something, anything.
Your heart is hard, and then it expands.
Thanks.
[APPLAUSE]