The door to Mary's office opened and her co-worker Brian awkwardly came in. He carried a cup of coffee in each hand and balanced a paper plate with two large donuts on his wrist. He tried singing “Hail to the Chief” but didn't know all the words.

      “Hail to the Chief, da, da-da, da-da, da-da, da…” He walked up and leaned over Mary's desk.

      “Brian!” Mary grinned. “What's all this about?”

      “Take the plate, will you?” Mary did so and set it on the desk. Brian put one of the cups down next to the plate. “There. That one's yours, made the way you like it. You get first pick of the donuts.”

      “Oh, you cruel man! You know I can't resist donuts!” Mary took the chocolate cake donut with the chocolate icing and bit into it. “Oh, that is so good.”

      Brian took the second donut. “Nothing but the best for our star!” He bit into his donut and talked as he chewed. “Once again your…um, shall we say “determined”, tactics won this company another nice, well-heeled client. Stolen right out from under the nose of our keenest competitor! Bravo!”

      “Oh, it was nothing.”

      “That's not what our bosses are saying. They're still raving about it.”

      “Well, I just hope that our production people can keep up with the new demand.” Mary picked up the coffee and took a big sip. “Ow!” She dropped the donut and clapped her hand over her lower left jaw, holding it tight. “Darn it!”

      “Is that tooth still giving you trouble?”

      “Yes. It's getting worse. I guess I've got to go have someone look at it.”

      “I thought you were going to have someone look at it a month ago.”

      “I was.” Mary lowered her hand and grimaced. “I guess I chickened out. I hate going to the dentist.” She closed her eyes. “When I think of that drilling sound I get the creeps!”

      “Not to mention that burning-tooth smell.”

      Mary closed her eyes and winced. “Oh, stop!”

      “Well, the longer you put it off, the worse it gets. And the more drilling that's needed.”

      “I know.”

      “I could give you the number to my dentist. He's pretty good, but I'm not sure he could get you in this week.”

      “Hmm.” Mary thought for a moment. “There's this place I see everyday on my way to work. The sign says “Walk-ins Welcome”. Maybe I'll go there on my way home.”

      “You'd better.” 

      By three thirty that afternoon the toothache had still not subsided, so Mary left work early and went to the dentist. She parked her car a half a block away and walked to the office. A shingle above the door read, “Walk-ins Welcome”. When she went inside she saw only two other people in the waiting room. One was a man in a business suit who was working on a laptop. A brief case was on the floor at his feet. The other person was a lady who wore an apron and had her hair tied up in a kerchief. She was reading a magazine. Mary walked over to the receptionist's counter, but saw no one there. She could faintly hear voices from another room so she stood and waited.

      The office was sparsely furnished. There was a phone on the desk, with a note pad and a large desk calendar. Next to the calendar was a glass jar filled with bamboo skewers. There was one file cabinet on the opposite wall. Mary began to wonder if it was a dentist office at all when she heard the familiar drilling sound from a back room. She shuddered and started to turn and take a seat when a door down the hall opened. Two women came out from the hall walking toward the waiting area.

      The first was a heavy-set woman in her fifties who said, “Well, thanks again. I'm so glad you people are here. And please tell him I said thanks, too.”

      “I will.” said the other woman coming around behind the counter. She was in her late twenties and wore scrubs. “Have a good day!” She then looked at Mary and said, “Can I help you?”

      “Yes. I have a bad toothache and I need to have someone look at it.”

      “Okay. Do you happen to have an appointment?”

      “No.” said Mary. “I'm a walk-in.”

      The receptionist smiled. “That's fine.” She handed Mary a clipboard. “Please write your name on this list, as well as the time you came in.”

      Mary did so as the receptionist went to the file cabinet. The receptionist came back and took the clipboard from Mary.