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Tooth Fairy Apologizes by Carol Wells

A deal is a deal and many young children, in the United States at least, learn that when one loses a baby tooth to expect some kind of monetary compensation. And that money comes from this mystical figure known as the Tooth Fairy. What happens, though, if the Tooth Fairy is broke?

When our son discovered his first loose tooth, he was perplexed about this event at first. It wiggled back and forth; so was it a novelty? Something he could entertain himself with for hours on end?

Apparently it was, he decided, and would wiggle his tooth with the enticing boast of "Look at what I can do!" After all, no one else in the household could wiggle a tooth and so clearly, in his opinion, a talent deserving of every opportunity capable of being invented for showing it off, right?

All went well for the first day or two but the more he wiggled the tooth - the looser it became. "Ow," he howled when trying to take a bite of peanut butter and jelly sandwich. "Mean tooth," he pouted when asked what was the matter, "It hurt my sandwich!"

The day came when the "mean" loose baby tooth finally reached the point where he could pull it out with his little fingers. "Look Mommy," he came running into the living room holding up this little pearl-like item in his fingers, "My mouth has a hole now!"

"It certainly does," I chuckled as he opened his mouth to show all his teeth minus the one in his little hand.

He quickly informed us about having knowledge of someone known as the Tooth Fairy existing and that this Tooth Fairy would trade a tooth for some money. That night our son set his tooth out for the Tooth Fairy to locate. Unfortunately, the Tooth Fairy somehow forgot "she" was supposed to stop by for a visit as he, erm - I mean "she", fell asleep instead.

What does a parent do when a child peeks under their pillow and says, "Tooth Fairy didn't leave me any money. And she didn't take my tooth, too"? A parent cannot tell his or her child that someone as great and mystical like the Tooth Fairy just "forgot". After all, according to lore, the Tooth Fairy instinctively knew when and where in the world a tooth awaited her. Nor can you say that maybe the tooth wasn't "good enough".

So my husband did the next best thing, he confessed. Yes - he admitted to forgetting that the Tooth Fairy called to let him know "she" was low on funds so needed to go by the bank. "She" was extremely apologetic but would be coming that evening instead.

This placated the little boy. After all Daddy periodically had to go by the bank to get out money so seemed plausible other people, including one Tooth Fairy, would too.

Game plan on the adult side of things went into action. My oldest daughter recruited to show off bit of her creativity in assisting the Tooth Fairy making up for disappointing one little boy. Our son also recognized my and my husband's handwriting so that helped provide another reason to enlist her help. "Just make it short but sincere while mentioning about the bank," I instructed her after locating two shiny dimes that would later accompany the note that would take the place of a tooth hidden under a pillow thus complete the Tooth Fairy method of bartering.

Next morning I heard a gleeful sound as my son woke up then raced out to the living room "Look Mommy, two whole dimes!"

"Heck of a deal for one little tooth! Anything else," I boldly prodded.

"A letter," he beamed while holding up a piece of folded paper. "Just for me!"

"Dear R.," he read out loud for all of us, "I am very sorry I didn't visit sooner. I was broke and had to stop at the bank. I told your Daddy. You have been taking good care of your teeth! Keep on brushing, The Tooth Fairy."

The two shiny dimes quickly became lost somewhere in the confines of the couch within an hour of him waking him and finding them under his pillow. He did not seem upset about their loss. However, whenever the letter, from someone known as the Tooth Fairy, remotely suspected of being lost or accidentally thrown away was an entirely different story - even three months later after initially receiving the "letter".

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