My appointment was at 9.15 a.m., but for some reason I left home shortly after eight, even though the journey would normally take about 25 minutes. As it turned out, this was a wise precaution. Bath during the morning rush hour is a very different proposition from Bath at other times, particularly when the rain is coming down in torrents and the daylight has not quite made up its mind whether to appear. I find driving in this half-light increasingly demanding, especially when judging the width of a road or negotiating unfamiliar stretches where the signage leaves something to be desired. It requires considerably more concentration than driving on a clear, bright day.

Then there are the drivers who appear to regard anyone travelling at a cautious speed as a personal affront. You know the type. They have driven the same route hundreds of times, know every bend and junction intimately, and have no intention of wasting a single second behind someone who might actually wish to arrive alive. On two or three occasions I pulled over where it was safe to do so and allowed these impatient souls — or perhaps I should call them highly time-conscious motorists — to continue their journeys at whatever speed they considered appropriate. I felt no particular desire to compete with them.

I am thankful that techniques have moved on somewhat

The dental appointment itself was another stage in a process which has been going on for several weeks. David had warned me that, following the removal of my remaining teeth, it would be necessary to allow the gums time to heal before fitting the new dentures. Believe me, having no functioning teeth is an experience I would not particularly recommend. It affects far more than the ability to chew. There is the social aspect, the occasional loss of confidence and the tiresome business of deciding what one can reasonably eat.

Rice, soup and other soft foods become familiar companions, while anything requiring a determined bite remains strictly off the menu. Teeth are among those parts of the body which we take entirely for granted until we no longer have them.

I had been moved to write David a little report on my dental adventures, but with a difference. I composed it in Elizabethan English, complete with the sort of elaborate expressions that might have been familiar to Shakespeare’s contemporaries. It seemed an appropriate way of bringing a little entertainment into an otherwise rather serious subject. David found it amusing, and I left him a copy. I have reproduced it below for anyone interested in the trials and tribulations of a temporarily toothless gentleman.

On the way home, I decided to call in at Sulis Hospital, near Peasedown St John, with the idea of having breakfast. I am always impressed by the professional atmosphere of the place, which by the way is now part of the Royal United Hospitals Bath organisation. The ground floor is well arranged, with a busy reception area where three members of staff were dealing with the steady procession of patients arriving for appointments. Everything appeared efficiently organised, and the general impression was of a facility that took its responsibilities seriously.

I inspected the breakfast menu, which looked excellent, but was not particularly attracted by the prospect of a bap. I therefore continued to Midsomer Norton, where I called into Wetherspoon’s and treated myself to a coffee and a very satisfactory bowl of porridge with honey. There is something reassuring about a decent bowl of porridge, particularly on a wet autumn morning. It also has the considerable advantage, in my present circumstances, of making absolutely no demands upon one’s teeth.

While driving through the High Street, I noticed that a new business had opened under the name Ray-Rai Massage. Never one to pass up an opportunity to meet someone new, I popped in to introduce myself and wish them well. Starting a small business is never easy, and I have always felt that a little encouragement from the local community costs nothing and may be appreciated.

I was interested in their pricing, which is an important consideration for any new enterprise. They are charging around £60 an hour for their principal massage treatments, which struck me as reasonable when compared with Bath, where a similar service might well cost £80. Of course, getting the price right is only one part of the challenge. People must first know that the business exists, and I gathered that they had not yet organised much in the way of publicity. There was no website, and the business card I was given did not include an email address, which I thought was something of an omission.

The Thai practitioner I spoke to had rather limited English, which may make telephone enquiries a little difficult. An email address, or better still a simple website listing the services and prices, will make life easier for potential customers. 

I have seen enough small enterprises over the years to know that even a good service can struggle if people cannot easily discover what is on offer or how to make contact. In any event, I wished them every success. I decided to ask CHAT for an image to help them on their way. She also has a very rich Thai accent, so it is difficult to hear what she is saying.  

And so to home, with the rain continuing to fall. It has been a thoroughly wet morning, and although I am not particularly enthusiastic about driving through sheets of water, I suppose we should be grateful for the contribution to our depleted reservoirs. There are times when one would prefer the rain to fall at night, leaving the daylight hours for more agreeable activities, but unfortunately the weather has never shown much interest in accommodating my personal preferences.

All in all, a productive morning. Another step towards acquiring a functioning set of teeth, an encounter with the delights of Bath rush-hour traffic, an inspection of a hospital, an excellent bowl of porridge and a chance meeting with the proprietors of a new local business. Not bad for an hour or so, although I shall be quite happy to spend the remainder of the day somewhere warm and dry.