Summary: Aurelio Escovar, an unlice

Summary: Aurelio Escovar, an unlicensed dentist in a small Columbian village, arrives early to work one morning. He sits down at his table and methodically polishes a set of false teeth. His 11-year-old son tells him that the village mayor is in the lobby and wants to have an infected tooth pulled. Aurelio orders his son to tell the mayor he is not in, but the mayor has heard him. The mayor threatens to shoot Aurelio if he doesn’t see him. Making sure his own pistol is within reach, he acquiesces. Aurelio tells the mayor his tooth must be removed without anesthesia. Using hot forceps, Aurelio grips the tooth and mutters: “Now you’ll pay for our twenty dead men.” He removes the tooth and the mayor orders him to send the bill to the town.