Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Out with the Old



This is a picture of a building right next to the high school. It's been vacant for a long time. Most Mathews residents will remember it as the place with the railroad crossing signs out in front of it, even though there is no such thing as a railroad in Mathews. (I always loved the whimsy in that.) Someone told me the owner once worked for the railroad, and that he ran a saw or scissor sharpening shop here years ago.

Yesterday or the day before, they tore this old beauty down. The entrails of the building are still smoldering. It makes me sad to see these structures disappear forever.


I still, at the 11th hour, fail to understand why a perfectly good tooth has to be ripped out of my head today. It doesn't hurt. (At least not anymore, it did the first 2 years it started to become a problem; by the way, I've had this bad tooth for seven years after the dentist first told me it needed to go. I never went back. Until now. Why did I do that?) The tooth is really not doing any harm (well, other than the dentist said there was a raging infection gnawing away at my jaw bone), and it serves a purpose. (The purpose is this: It's my tooth, a place holder; I can't chew on it, but still.)

I liken my tooth coming out to the old homes, barns, sheds, etc. around here that are wasting away, not alive anymore, but still unique and valuable to someone. I love them, and I hate to see them go. (Them = teeth and buildings.)

So I will make it my mission to try and photograph as many of them as I can while they are still standing. (Them = the buildings; not my teeth. It's not Halloween yet, and I wouldn't want to scare anyone off.)

To any Mathews--or Gloucester--readers still awake, if you have any stories or contributions about this particular building, please leave a comment.
Signed,
Chesapeake Bay Toothless Wonder

15 comments:

Mental P Mama said...

I'm sorry. It must be said. IDIOT. And I mean that in the best possible way.

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

It isn't so much that I don't understand or agree that it must come out, it is my abnormal fear of it.

An absolute fear.

Fear and logic do not usually co-exist peacefully, if at all.

Anonymous said...

Good Luck Today. I'm not ahge fan of the dentist myself. I'd rather go to the GYN any day. I hope you're all done and feeling fine in no time!

Anonymous said...

SEVEN YEARS? Good Lord woman. You're lucky you still HAVE a jaw!

Now. Just suck it up and deal with it. You have painkillers. USE THEM! They will help fog your fear. Please don't kill anyone:)

Unknown said...

Hopefully by now, you are in lala land...drooling all over yourself. That's a good thing.

That old building looks pretty good. I wonder why is wasn't renovated. I hope you show us what goes up in it's place.

Take care...and hopefully the new gap gives you a whole new whistling opportunity. :))

nativedevil said...

Yes, as someone said, USE your painkillers. You cannot believe the number of people I visit who just had some kind of surgery, but won't use the pain meds the doctor gave them because "I might get addicted" Horse Hockey! If you still are using it a month from now, we have a problem. Otherwise, they give it to you for a reason-you just had surgery- you don't have to hurt so bad the first few days afterwards IF you will take some pain meds. (Sorry, went into rant mode for a minute)
Takes your meds, and sleep it off as much as you can. Why stay awake while in pain if you don't have to?
You WILL be fine.

Anonymous said...

Sympathies and I hope it's all done by now and you are feeling relieved and not in too much pain.

foolery said...

Does this mean you won't be in my jawbreaker contest?

Pout.

Hope you're feeling higher than a kite, or at least relaxed. These things are always worse looking at them from the front end than looking back over your shoulder. ;)

-- Laurie @ Foolery

p.s. Just think of the patterns you'll make in your future corn on the cob -- it'll be like a player piano tube!

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

Hey, y'all. Thank you so much for your words of wisdom and encouragement.

As it turns out, the sedatives, the pain killers and the new oral surgeon who is my hero (although he LIED to me about what he was actually doing and TRICKED me into pulling the daggone thing out before I knew what was happening)- he is the greatest gift ever given to bad dental patients. I'm pretty sure angels sing whenever he speaks. Or, that could just be the valium speaking to me on his behalf.

All's good. Medicine is really good.

Thanks again for all your support. I have a really great network here in this blogosphere and in my Non-Internet World (which I do visit on occasion).

Happy Wednesday.

Bear Naked said...

See I knew you would be a brave little soldier and be able to withstand this assault on your very foundation.
No that's a wrong analogy, you had your tooth extracted not a foot amputation.
Anyhoo--glad you seem to be fine and that it is not just the nice medicine talking.
Nice medicine--good!

I'll be back to *see* you tomorrow.
Take care.

Bear((( )))

Anonymous said...

Enjoy the valium now, because I can only offer wine when you visit:) Hope you are back to your spunky self soon!

Karen Deborah said...

yeah it's over and you did it! Hopefully they will get the infection cleared up and your helath WILL improve. Bad teeth do harm a person, lot of chronic sinusitis out there is because of exactly that, a bad tooth. My grandma lived to be 99 and credited her good health to her dentures. Actually she had a great diet and walked everywhere! But thought you'd like that. when you feel better email your address!
kdmcgivney@bellsouth.net

abb said...

I cannot abide teeth issues. Never are they good.

And I feel your pain!

Unknown said...

You did it, yes you did! Congratulations and kudos to your oral surgeon who lied to you...I guess.

Sleep in tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

this house is at the end of my road, Pine Hall. My husband and I almost cried when they tore up the RR sign and now this. We are very upset about it. We are glad you got a picture of it. You are right. It was a shop that was used for sharpening saws ans scissors.
the house used to belong to the Kimball family. They sold it a few years ago when the old man died. They said he was alittle crazy.