Unusually I was early for the train. About 45 minutes actually.
I decided to look for a bit of peace and quiet and get a coffee.
The restaurant was surprisingly quiet and I chose a booth with nobody either side, sat down and ordered a large Americano and piece of 'rocky road'.
I checked my phone, swiped away a couple of random emails and quickly replied to a couple more. Peaceful moments were rare during the working day and I was enjoying the solitude when
the comparative silence was broken by three figures bursting rather noisily through the door.
I glanced up to see a mother, showing signs of stress, and two boys. One appeared to be around 10 or 11 and the other perhaps 12 or so. There was animated chatter and mother was apparently trying to be referee.

Obviously at times like this, the crucial thing to avoid is any sort of eye contact in the hope that they choose to sit as far away as possible. Unfortunately the tactic failed and they piled into the bench seats of the next booth, immediately in front of me. Mother with her back to me and her two offspring opposite her, facing me.
The chatter continued whilst I focussed back on my phone but it was fairly obvious that older brother was teasing the younger one. 'You did it to me when I got mine' he said. 'No I didnt' said the younger one. 'Anyway, its your fault'. 'No it isnt'. Etc Etc.

At that point the waitress arrived to take their order. I heard Mother order a coffee and I glanced up just as the older boy turned to ask for a coke and an ice cream. As he opened his mouth I caught a glimpse of the bright shiny wire of a Hawley retainer across his teeth.
'Come on' said mother impatiently to the younger one, 'Are you having the same ?'.
He didnt answer but was poking about in his mouth with his fingers. 'He will have the same' she said, speaking for him. And the waitress went off.

'Whats the matter with you' she said to the younger one, again rather impatiently as if the day had been stressful enough already.
'Its stuck' he said. 'Its HIS fault, he gave it to me'.
'What is ?' she said.
'He gave me chewing gum and its stuck to my plate'.
'You asked for it.' said the older one. 'You told me to try it.' said the younger one. And so it went on.
'Well' said mother 'you will just have to put up with it now until tomorrow.'
'No I wont, I need to take it out' he said and I could now tell he was speaking with some difficulty.
'You are not taking it out' she said, 'He' (I am sure she was referring to the orthodontist) has just told you not to take it out at all, for any reason whatsoever, for 24 hours until you get used to it.'

At that point the waitress reappeared with their order. She put the tray down in front of them and went off.

'Anyway' said the older one, you will get used to things getting stuck, and icecream's fun...you wait and see.'
He started on his drink and took a spoon of icecream.

Smaller brother did not seem at all convinced and continued poking his fingers and then a spoon into his mouth until his mother told him to leave it alone. He had obviously experienced his mother in an irritable mood before, so he succumbed and went quiet.

I had heard all this whilst still studying my phone, but I now glanced up again and saw that he also was wearing a Hawley retainer and, from all that had just gone on, I assumed he had just had it fitted.

He took a drink of coke.
'It feels weird' he said to his brother, 'I cant feel the bubbles'. He poked at it again but seemed to spot a glance from his mother.
He took a spoonful of icecream and then another. 'I cant feel that either' he said 'I cant feel the cold the thame'. He was clearly finding the plate, the chewing gum and now the icecream all a bit of a challenge, but his brother now began to change tactics and be the 'experienced' one.
'You will get used to it' he said. 'When I got mine, everything was weird. I wanted to keep taking it out and it was annoying, but thats too much of a bind and people keep looking. If you keep it in you get used to it.'
'In fact', he said its quite good, so long as you dont eat anything too hard and dont have chewing gum !' 'I cant talk properly without mine in now, and its nice having a smooth top to your mouth all the time.'

My train was due in 5 minutes. I had to go.
I hurried off to the platform and realised that I had drunk my coffee and eaten my rocky road without once thinking about the smooth plate in the top of my mouth which I had worn, by choice for years since the day I had my fake retainer fitted and went to buy an icecream on the way home to see what it was going to be like.!
I did remember, though, the day I tried chewing gum on the train to work and I couldnt take my retainer out infront of everyone.