cause there's no comfort in the waiting room

i am sitting in the waiting room while my sister is in one of the brightly lit rooms in the back getting her wisdom teeth pulled out. the waiting room is creepy in a way that you just can't put your finger on. there is a big picture hanging on the wall of pandas doing circus tricks against a red background. as they balance on chairs and unicycles with stacks of plates on their heads, they give smiles that could perhaps be considered friendly if they were somewhere else. but here, they send a chill down my spine. next to the children's books is a small table of dark wood surrounded by four small leather high-backed chairs. the leather furniture and dark wood around the room brings to mind images of sociopaths in old movies. the giant dead plant in the corner does nothing to dispel this illusion. the sound of drilling filters through the office over the sixties music they keep turning up.

on the flat screen tv, though, chefs and bakers are nothing but cheery smiles and laughter as they compete to make the best banana cream pie or grilled chicken. they talk about making a peanut butter frosting with cream cheese and whipped cream, and suddenly i am overcome with a desire to bake. to cook. to make from scratch foods that look just as good as they taste: awesome. when i leave this office, though, i know the disdain i feel at the moment for macaroni and cheese from a box will disappear. canned soup will once again be completely acceptable.

i am eating fruit loops out of a zip lock bag and debating whether i should go get myself a turtle mocha from caribou or stay in the waiting room until my sister comes out like i promised my mom i would. i think i'll leave the coffee for another day and maybe go read the cat in the hat.

*What Sarah Said - Death Cab for Cutie