It is in the nature of human beings, I believe, to pass their fears and alarms along to one another, i have learned to accept this, even as I wonder at it. It is not my human nature, and I don’t really know why, terror-and-pain sharing was a common trait in my natural family.

I had a root canal this morning in Saratoga Springs, and when I came into the office of Dr.  John Turco, a nurse came out to greet me and shake my hand. She was so upbeat and friendly I remarked upon it, and she said so many patients came into the office very worried because so many other people had told them horror stories about it, she was determined to be positive and upbeat to calm them.

I appreciated it because I could not believe how any people shook their heads, rolled their eyes, told me awful stories about their root canals, or horror stories people they knew. One friend told me a piece of a steel pick had broken off in his wife’s mouth and could not be extracted.  I would not even want to spread some of the many stories I heard about root canals whenever I mentioned it, which I soon enough stopped doing.

Why, I wonder, would people wish to frighten other people when they have some trouble? I recall the same thing happening when I had open heart surgery, very few of the people who heard about it suggested I would be alive to speak to them again, or if I did, I would be barely recognizable. I was home at work three days after the operation.

Dr. Turco said he often heard those stories from patients, we both agreed that there is something in human nature that competes for title of long-suffering or most suffering. People want to share their pain. My theory is that people want to pass along their fear. Fear is infectious, like a virus. As a survivor of countless panic attacks, I vividly remember how often people went out of their way to tell me frightening or self-pitying stories.

And that’s what lament is, really, another form of self-pity

People told me of pain and long ordeals, incompetent doctors and failed procedures, of  mishaps and pain. I should say my root canal, which took about 45 minutes, was absolutely painless, no more pain that a cavity repair, perhaps less. I felt no pain whatsoever, and mild tenderness in the temporary crown for an hour or so afterwards.

I think it is fair to say that my experience did not accurately reflect the attitude or information of a single human being who spoke to me about it, it was almost as if people needed me to feel afraid, perhaps because they had been made to feel afraid. That is the most generous interpretation I can offer.

The technology involved in root canals – effective numbing techniques, high-speed, lighting quick drills, more detailed X-ray and microscopic technology have transformed the process of a root canal, and when a friend told me he was due to get one next week I said, “oh, great, it will most likely be quick and painless.” And that is the truth.

The doctor knew precisely where he was going and what he had to do, and he did it very quickly and efficiently. I was shocked when it was over. I hadn’t realized he had really even gotten to the canal clean-up.

According to a survey by one patient’s organization, about 95 per cent of root canals are quick and painless without complication, about 5 per cent require re-visits because of infections or some other problem. It is very rare to have a problem with a root canal.

I notice that this fear-sharing phenomenon is true of politics also.

People compete to be the most aggrieved and victimized and are eager to share their idea of bad and fearful news. I cannot count how many people have warned me that an era of Nazi-style politics is descending upon us and that ought to be prepared. I am not prepared for that, and will not be prepared for that.

I heard a supposedly respected commentator on an Albany radio station warn this morning as I drove to the dentist that as soon as there is a crisis, the media will be shut down and reporters threatened or jailed. Government troops will move aggressively to take our rights away.

She said this as if this was a widely expected certainly.

As a former journalist and media critic, I would say the press is alive and well in our country, they are giving at least as much as they are taking if not more. Politicians and reporters are not supposed to like one another or share the tables at posh dinners with celebrities. My wish for every journalist is to be banned from closed-door off-the-record chit-chats with politicians and given no choice but to go out and talk with people.

Perhaps we would not be so shocked or ill-prepared for what the country is thinking and feeling. In our country, the media is way too arrogant to be silenced.

But that’s another story. My own story this morning was my root canal, and I did whine about another writing day being disrupted. Will I ever get to work in an undistracted way on my book? I made it a point not to whine about my root canal.

The big news about my story is that you ought not take what people say about root canals too seriously. People love to hand off their fear and laments. I don’t accept them. I carry an imaginary cup around with me at all times. When someone tells me their sad story, or speaks poorly of their life, or tries to make me feel frightened or angry, I just tell myself “put it in the cup.” And I do, and it stays there, I don’t take it in.

Try it, it works. And if you have to get a root canal, as so many of us do, don’t tell people about it, and don’t pay too much attention to them if you do. It is not that big a deal. The truth is, as I told the doctor, I am very grateful medical technology has advanced so dramatically that I could call Maria when I was done, and say that was fine, it didn’t hurt a bit.

This afternoon, before I wrote this, I ate an apple and ate some hard crackers with goat cheese, using my temporary crown and re-furbished tooth. Didn’t hurt a bit.

Dr. Turco and I and his nurse had a fine time. We traded stories, laughed and before I could even settle into the chair, it was over. Instead of passing along fear and hard stories, I think I will pass along some hope and optimism.

Life is not always perfect and somethings we will have to deal with bumps.  There are real tragedies and traumas in the world, I’m happy to report that for most people, a root canal is not one of them.

It is, like a flat tire or crashed computer,  just life.