“Oh, he’ll come back,” Dr. Patel said, removing his gloves. “People like him always do. Fear makes them run, but humor brings them back.”
And sure enough, two weeks later, the man called to schedule a cleaning. The receptionist answered, and after a moment she covered the receiver and whispered to the dentist:
“He wants to confirm—this appointment won’t require needles, gas, or… pills?”
Dr. Patel smiled.
“Tell him we’ll stick to toothpaste this time.”
But somewhere in the office drawer, that little multivitamin bottle sat waiting—just in case the next terrified patient needed a laugh big enough to carry them through their own battle with the chair
