Since I woke up this morning my left cheek has tripled in size. I felt the tremors of a swell last night. All day I’d monitored my gums. I was sure it was that stray cashewnut nestled in one of the rava idlis I had for breakfast yesterday that had triggered this unease. I knew there was something amiss about the root canal that’d been done years ago. The crown had come undone. But because I’ve been scraping the bottom of the barrel, as the saying goes, thanks to my perpetually broke state of affairs, a visit to the dentist was out of the question. Of course, this morning I had no choice. Given I’m scheduled to be in Kolkata tomorrow for the launch of my book, I desperately needed the swelling to subside. I’m sad to report it hasn’t, and I look as though I have mumps and I talk as though I’ve been gagged.