Читать книгу Sand In My Shoes: Coming of Age in the Second World War: A WAAF’s Diary - Joan Rice - Страница 59

I began to be afraid in the morning. I began to think he couldn't possibly take out a whole hard tooth without hurting me. By lunchtime, as I walked down to the waiting dentist lorry, past a lorry full of cheering WAAFs going to play hockey, I felt very self-sorry. This time I rode with Pat Rollandson in front with the driver.

In the waiting room I found an article on ‘Why Be Afraid’ and drained it of its inadequate comfort. An orderly called, ‘ACW Bawden’ and I walked to the chair. He stuck needles in my tooth and said, indifferently of course, that it wouldn't hurt me. I was glad he wasn't sympathetic: I was horribly unreasonably afraid. The agony was wondering when it would hurt. I said, ‘I will be brave, I do so want to be brave,’ and one tear fell out of the side of my eye but nobody took any notice of it. Suddenly two hands came out behind my head and held it fast, I screwed up my eyes, his pincers were on my tooth and he was right! It didn't hurt. My faith in him returned, I wondered with interest how long it would take to come out. He had to get another pair of pincers and pulled and pulled, and the orderly gripped my head and at last, without a twinge, I felt it slipping out. He made me put my head between my knees to fill the cavity with blood. I have to go back next week but I don't mind. Next time I'll be really properly brave.

That evening Boompsie and I went to Golders Green to see Ivor Novello's empty, faintly amusing Full House. I am writing this later, bored and on guardroom duty. Hearty Annie has just come in to say goodbye to us, I wonder what officer horror they've found for us next.

It's even later now and I'm back in my billet from the Sergeants Mess. They's had a party and had a lot of food left over, so Priscilla Carpenter and I were asked in to eat it up (my appetite is famous) and it was heavenly – gherkins and cheese and crisps and prawns and olives and beer, yummy yum.