Novacaine addled

While handing my cup of soup over the counter, the African-American woman who ladled it out for me asked in such a way that the “s” was almost silent, “crackers?” I nearly shot back, “what’d you call me?” as a joke but instead bit my tongue, smiled, and thanked her. Lucky for me the bite didn’t hurt due to the massive amounts of novcaine coursing through my mouth from a morning jaunt to the dentist…although that and the accompanying dull aching pain may have contributed to almost putting my foot in my mouth in the first place.