First Day At Work With Braces

I had gotten my braces on in two sessions, one for the top and one for the bottom. I seem to recall that I intentionally did it during a vacation so that I would have time to adjust to them myself before I faced my co-workers.

I showed up for work in my new braces, and at first made it a point to stay discreet and in my office for most of this time. It surprised me how much people didn't comment at first. It may have been that I was successful at being discreet (a lot of my work was office related, and I could hide there! LOL), or they saw and just were nice enough not to comment.

I recall that the first time I encountered someone who clearly saw my braces was when I crossed a female worker in the hall, and smiled to her a wide braces-covered grin before realizing that I had done so. As a reflexive act, I immediately closed my mouth really quick, and having a hard time of it because of my braces being there. I kind of got my lips briefly caught in the braces, before quickly pulling them over my teeth and covering them up.   My co-worker, mercifully, didn't say anything.

Finally, a few days into my return to work with my metalmouth, another co-worker finally broke the ice and asked me, "When did you get your braces?"  It was the first time she saw them. There were others present, and this allowed me to explain why I was getting orthodontic treatment. Apparently, news spread to others at my job, because as the day went on I would get people visiting me. Were they there to see my mouthmetal? One guy grinned at me and said, in a good natured way, "got a tingrin."
Finally, the oddest experience was that I had was when I suddenly got called by my boss into his office to ask me about something. The thing he asked me about was completely pointless, and the meeting ended rather quickly.  All polite and quick. I can't help but think that my boss (another guy like me), actually may have called me into his office for this impromptu meeting just to see his employee's new braces!!