Lost and Found

I did it! Patricia Watts, DDS at your service. I am a recent grad from dentistry school. I am a fifth-generation Dentist on my paternal side. So, I guess you can call my family "The teeth people." Our family motto is, "Smile when you're happy, smile when you're sad. If God gave you teeth, you should be glad". Today is indeed a happy day for me. I heard the magic words, "Congratulations, you're hired," from Ms. Tucker, the Smiley Dentistry hiring manager. Those words were music to my ears; however, starting a new job can be both exciting and frustrating at the same time.

Obtaining a position at a reputable organization was my first goal upon graduation, and I did it. Becoming a part of Smiley Dentistry is challenging. I have heard of multiple horror stories from my Dentist friends' circle - stories surrounding their interviews. So, I have to say that I am happy that I passed the rigid interviewing process.

Today is my first day on the job, and Ms. Tucker showed me around the building of Smiley Dentistry. Once she showed me around, she led me to my office space. I sat down at my desk, excited about the start of my career. “Dr. Watts, now that you’ve seen the building, there is one piece of important information that I must convey to you," said Ms. Tucker. As she began to speak, I began to clench my legs together, hoping that there was not some piece of information that I would receive that would cause the imposture syndrome to surface.

She began to speak, “Dr. Watts, while you impressively passed the interviewing process and succinctly answered our interview questions, and we are happy to have you on board. There is a caveat to finding true success here at Smiley Dentistry, and to truly be acknowledged and noted as what we call - The Elite”. She further explained, “The Elite group is a group of individuals who are highly respected in our organization. They are also automatically positioned in place to become a part-owner of Smiley Dentistry”. I asked, "May I ask why this was not conveyed to me during the interviewing process before offering me a position"? She responded, “This piece of information is only given to those who pass our intense interviewing methods." We sat in silence for an awkward five seconds, and she then further explained what missing piece of information I needed.

“In your drawer, there is a little black book. We purchase our supplies from Moleskine, as we are partnered with them - We support them, and they support us. In that book, there is a riddle that must be solved. It is also somewhat recognized as part of our employee handbook. Every hired employee receives this little black book; however, there have only been a select few who have solved the riddle inside. Henceforth, the reason why the group is called - The Elite”, said Ms. Tucker. She further explained, “You have three days starting today to solve the riddle inside the little black book to be recognized as - The Elite. When you feel as though you have solved the riddle, see me in my office with the book”. Ms. Tucker looked at me and saw the sweat beginning to form on my frontal lobe. “The only piece of information that I'll give you (which can be applied to life in general) is to not over-think it," said Ms. Tucker. She then immediately left out of my office after explaining this piece of information. And I can only conclude that she left my office so rapidly so that I would not ask her any further questions surrounding the little black book.

I took the little black book home with me to see if I could figure out the riddle. Inside of the book was a total of six pages. On each page, there were a total of nine words. On the back of the book were instructions on how to solve the riddle.

On the first page, it said, "Smile because you are a part of our team."

On the second page, “Mealtime can only be reserved around your scheduled appointments."

The third page, "Ink must be used to sign all important documents."

The fourth page, "Lock up all sensitive patient documents for privacy protection."

The fifth page, "Effectively sanitize and clean all surfaces before assisting patients."

The sixth page, “You are responsible for your success as a Dentist."

The back of the book read, “He/She who reads this, has become a part of these two words. What are you a part of”?

It then followed with a hint to solve the riddle. “There is the first letter of a word in each sentence that forms one word. The second word can be derived from counting the number of words in each sentence”.

I read the sentences on each page over and over. I counted the number of words in each sentence which all came out to be nine words. I understood that I needed to find two words to solve the riddle, but I became frustrated and told myself that I would go back at it the next day.

The next day I arose and got dressed for work, and headed into the office with the little black book in my hand. This day was busy and filled with training. On my lunch break, I took the book to see if I could figure out the riddle, but no such luck. I returned to my office after lunch and noticed before packing up to go home that I forgot the little black book in the break room. I immediately got up and expeditiously ran to the break room to retrieve the book, only to find that it was no longer there. I then contacted Ms. Tucker to advise her that I had misplaced the little black book and requested another one. Ms. Tucker advised me that I could not get another black book but that I could get a red book and be disqualified from the chance of becoming a part of "The Elite" group. She encouraged me to check to see if someone had possibly turned it into the lost and found.

I went to check the lost and found, and sure enough, there it was, me smiling at it, and it smiling at me. I grabbed it and went home to try and solve the riddle again. Once I got home, I read the sentences on each page again, and I counted the words again; I read the puzzle again "He/She who reads this, has become a part of these two words. What are you a part of”? I finally concluded after taking the first letter of each word at the beginning of each sentence; Smile, Mealtime, Ink, Lock, Effectively, and You, that it gave me the word SMILEY. I then counted the letters for the word DENTISTRY, and it came out to be nine letters. I was sure that I had figured out the riddle. I thought to myself, Ms. Tucker was undoubtedly correct in her statement to encourage me not to overthink it.

The next morning, I was excited to come to work because I knew that I had figured out the riddle. I contacted Ms. Tucker and advised her that I had figured out the mystery and would be in her office with the little black book. I went into Ms. Tucker’s office and shouted before she could even ask me what the answer was, “SMILEY DENTISTRY, that’s the answer," I shouted. Ms. Tucker started laughing hysterically. I am sure she was laughing like this because she had probably never experienced someone coming into her office shouting the answer to the riddle. After she gathered herself from laughter, she said, "Excellent, Dr. Watts, you have the correct answer." I responded, “Ms. Tucker if it were not for you telling me not to overthink it while trying to figure out the answer, (although I’m sure I would have figured it out eventually) I would not have figured it out as quickly as I did." Ms. Tucker responded, "Believe it or not, doctors are known to think beyond the base of all situations no matter what it is. We created this riddle to see if you are the type of Doctor who is versatile enough to think basic and beyond. Congratulations, you are now a part of – The Elite”. I grinned with excitement and thanked Ms. Tucker. “Come back to my office in about thirty minutes and I will give you your paperwork to solidify your position here," said Ms. Tucker.

I went to my office ecstatic about my accomplishment after only day two of being a part of Smiley Dentistry. I anxiously waited until thirty minutes had passed before going back to Ms. Tucker’s office to retrieve the paperwork that she advised me that I would receive. After thirty minutes, I went back to Ms. Tucker’s office and sat at her desk. She handed me an envelope and told me to open it up. I opened the envelope and pulled out a check for $20,0000. I screamed with excitement and was in disbelief that I was receiving an unexpected $20,000. All I could think was, thank God for Moleskine and thank God for the lost and found. I found the little black book with a smile.