I have another dental appointment up at the VA this week. I sure do dread it but am thankful to have a place to go keep my teeth in a somewhat functioning mode. Some years back I was undergoing the rigors of having some dental implants made in my upper Jaw area. It’s a long process and it’s expensive, except my VA privileges allowed me to get these services and teeth, free.

That day I knew something was different. The head dentist was checking on me. He then took his “underling” out in the hall for a consultation. He was in a bad mood. I suppose they thought that I was not only old but deaf as I could hear what they said. In essence, the older doc was taking to task the younger guy for spending so much time and money on an aging has-been veteran. Me. “He can’t get much benefit from this for his life expectancy is about used up” he was saying.

When the dentists came back, I voluntarily provided the following information. I told them my mom lived to be 98, so I hope I would have a few years left to enjoy my new teeth. I went on to share with them about my cousin Isaac. Several years ago, I had received a newspaper clipping from another cousin who lived in the Lookout Mountain Area of Northeast Alabama. It told of Cousin Isaac Brock who was born in 1787 in Buncombe County, North Carolina and served in the Revolutionary Army. Cousin Isaac’s life is well documented. He made sure of that. Isaac liked to put items in the newspapers and liked publicity.

Cousin Isaac saw to it that his brief service in the war of 1812 was likewise documented. Later at the age of 74 he managed to squeeze into the Confederate army (Civil War) by some hook or crook. His job was shoeing horses. Isaac claimed at this time he had also served Texas in their war for Independence. I don’t have those dates. After Isaac finished his service to the Confederacy, he went to work promoting and selling a “miracle” drug called Peruna. He used himself as “Exhibit A” and proposed this elixir had made it possible for him to be so healthy, viral, and longlived.

Isaac migrated to Waco, Texas where he sold lots of his Peruna medicine and he turned 100 years old. For this momentous event Isaac called a news conference and invited reporters to watch and photograph him shoeing a kicking mule. More documentation for Isaac’s old age. His latest event quietly faded away into history as did old Isaac. His historical rendezvous with the press was silent until about 1909 when my cousin, still trying to pedal his Elixir of Peruna, was hauled before a judge. Embarrassingly for Isaac, he was declared incompetent and needing care. He was cast into a “Rest Home” where on September 3, 1909, at the age of 122, Isaac died.

He lies in a well-marked grave in China Spring Cemetery near Waco. This grave is marked by two prominent stones. One tombstone notes the dates of his birth and death (March 1, 1787-Sept 2, 1909) the other monument is a US government monument accrediting his services to country. Rest in peace Isaac and I hope the VA fixed your teeth for you. I hope to drive down to that cemetery someday and while I’m there will shop around for a stray bottle of Peruna. Lord knows I need it.

And be sure and go to church on Sunday.

Wayne Bullard, DPh cwaynebullard@gmail. com