Write a short story, poem or scene containing the following:
Character: Dentist
Place: Haywagon
Object: Shoelace
Theme: Patience

I don't know why it is that Doc Spalding had to come on this hay ride with us. I mean of all the parents and all the people who could have come on this trip.

Doc Spalding and I have a love hate relationship. I love to hate him. Of course when the first time you meet a person they inflict pain on you of an unbelievable sort, it kinda dooms the relationship. But it was that "Buck up, boy. You'll hurt a lot worse than this before you kick the can" comment of his that sort of sealed his fate. No seven-year-old boy gives a stitch about his seventy-seventh year (or whichever one thereafter or before would be the can kicking moment) when his present world has been reduced to needles that were longer than any finger on his hand headed for the taste bud area, floppy lips and gagging on water. I can testify to this fact.

I've grown up. Some. That's what my dad would add. It's been five years since my first encounter with Doctor Spalding and the others were smoother because I was prepared for the worst every time and it didn't happen. But the guy still has this way of making me feel like he's examining me for some fault. I've kept my lips pasted together so that he can't see that I had bacon for breakfast, but even that hasn't made me feel better. Every time I look his direction he seems to be giving me the once over.

I think this is because I wore these stupid, stupid new running shoes of mine because I need to break them in before the big meet in a few weeks. You'd think they'd put laces on running shoes that you had to fight to get untied. Or maybe they do on every pair except these that I just bought with my very own allowance. The first time Doc looked me over, I looked down and there it was--not one, but both of my shoes were untied. In fact in my flustered aftershock I couldn't even remember if I'd tied them in the first place. I was running late and didn't want to miss this hayride. Then anyway.

So I tied them up, slowly and carefully, and I could feel his eyes boring into my back. I didn't look at him but at my laces every time and don't you know, when I finally stopped worrying about them, that's when the right one worked it's way loose.

He didn't tell me though. Didn't say a word to me. I think he was hoping for a tooth rescue mission right there on Akin Ranch. Wouldn't that be a story to tell. "That Blevins kid. You know the one--all arms and legs, freckles like pepper and big ears. You have to hear what that fool kid did on the hayride at Akin Ranch on Saturday."

This time I double knotted the lace and did the same for the left side while I was at it. By this time we had arrived for our hike. Mr. Timmons started dividing up our groups and yes, you guessed it, I landed in Doc's.

I contemplated complaining that I had a stomach ache or something, but realistically the thought of hanging around a cart full of hay all by myself for the next three to four hours wasn't quite my idea of a good escape plan. I tried to figure out some other way, but you know, my best friend Jeremy was already in the same group so I couldn't use that as an excuse.

So I tried to ignore him. Not in a mean way. I just kept my distance and didn't meet his eyes, and tried to keep a steady stream of words going between Jer and I. Then we decided to make a camp of sorts to cook our lunch. That's when I lost my patience.

"Is something wrong?" I asked the fifth time I found him staring at me.

"I just can't get over the way you've grown. I remember when you were seven. It seems like yesterday. Boy do I remember you."

Funny thing was he understood when I begged him to stop. With my eyes only. He did.

"Your folks must be proud you're such a fine young man."

And you know, we relaxed after that and started to talk. Too bad I didn't ask him that the first time I caught him staring. I think the day might have gone even more fantastic than it did from there on out.

[lame end but I'm out of time!!!!]