good dentist?

I got the best student award when I passed the final BDS. I believed that I was good if not the best.
Then I joined the health department as a dentist and was posted to a godforsaken health centre. I am from the reserved category. I got postings reserved to those who do not have capabilities of their own or the influence of other powers that can assure a good posting. Though it was an unwanted posting for many, I was very happy to get it after being unemployed for four years. I applied myself to the work in right earnest and though all I did was only pulling out teeth, earned a reputation as a good dentist. The appreciation was not really because I was good but because the previous dentist was worse. But my belief that I am a good dentist got firm. Since I pulled out not less than twenty teeth a day I was getting good at it out of sheer practice.
Now I was in service for more than ten years. Well experienced. I had almost started believing that I really was good. I was of course.
For a very short duration of ten months in my service of twentytwo years the government took me out of the reserved category and posted me to a district hospital. I was in a bigger place. More people coming in for treatment and I was popular. Even people who could afford to visit a private clinic were coming to the govt hospital. This fame again was more due to the fact that in the hospital, now a qualified dentist was pulling out teeth. The earlier dentist, a person indifferent to the profession and one who did not want his hands soiled, or his back broken, had restricted himself to writing out prescriptions for pain killers, while the job of pulling out teeth was allotted to the dental clinic peon- Joseph. Joseph was a self taught dentist. For many, he was doctor joseph. Though joseph resented me snatching the tag of doctor from him, he did treat me with respect and only conveyd his superior knowledge of the profession to me by suggesting that I better use the cowhorn forceps instead of the byonet forceps for a particular tooth removal or by suggesting that I better use the elevator instead of a forceps etc. I ignored his suggestions, relied up on my superior knowledge and judgment and broke the teeth instead of removing them. Ultimately I did manage to remove them after delving deep into the gums using knives, chissels, drills and what not and joseph did appreciate my work. Since he did not have formal training in the profession he was unable to do mining jobs in the gums. He held me in high esteem.
Still I learnt that there was no shortage of people asking to have their teeth removed by joseph and many patients were asking ME if they could have their teeth removed by doctor joseph. I took pains to impress up on them that joseph was only the peon in the clinic and I was the doctor. They resigned themselves to their fate and accepted my treatment. But joseph did manage to show his skills in most afternoons when in the true tradition of government service I was not present in the clinic.,
One fine day joseph absconded from the city. No one knew his whereabouts. I was the doctor and the peon of dental clinic. This gentleman of about 70+ walked in one morning and asked me if I am capable of removing his shaking tooth? Capable? Me? I told the old man that I had removed about forty thousand teeth till then and he could occupy the chair if he intends adding one more to the number. He asked me if I am going to pull out the tooth after giving an injection? I answered that I had known no other way. He asked me if it is going to be painless? I told him to enquire with the dozen or so sitting outside with cotton stuffed in their mouths and come back. He did and sat in the chair. I saw the tooth. It would have fallen if only I had blown strongly over that tooth. But since he was very apprehensive, I injected a small dose of local anaesthetic. He said “ouch” at the touch of the needle. I assured him that that was all the pain he is likely to feel. After a few minutes I inserted the forceps in his mouth and gave a careless pull. He said “ouch” again. I had to inject another dose. I assured him that it happens once in a way and that he need not worry anymore. Another ten minutes and another twist with the forceps- another “ouch!” Now I was forced to give what we call a nerve block which numbs that whole part of the jaw. There was no chance for the tooth to misbehave. I pulled out the tooth quite easily and painlessly and waited for the usual word of thanks.
He thanked me and said that he was grateful for a painless extraction and that his other teeth were removed by another doctor called Joseph who had been in the hospital for a long time. He also added that, with out meaning any offence to me, doctor Joseph was a MUCH BETTER doctor than me anyday. lastly, as a consolation, he assured me that with experience i am sure to improve and one day will be as good as doctor Joseph.