Dear Parents,
Even if I were to tell you the goings-on of this past week, you are not going to believe me. I scarcely believe them and they happened to me!
For the last two hundred years I have been replacing lost teeth of kids around the world. I can actually recall my first child whose name is or rather was Derek and he lived in the south of England. Back then word was slow to get to me and oft-times it took me as much as a week to get to a child. The advent of the Telegraph, the telephone (you humans refer to it as a land line), then the facsimile (you probably know it as a fax machine), then the cellular phones made life infinitely easier for me and allowed me to reach children that much faster.
Well, thanks to blogs and mine in particular, my popularity has increased 100 fold in the last few months. I had to hire a dispatcher of sorts. I had been happy to rely on my cell phone, who I call Bernie, but I was missing calls because it is a challenge to find a phone whose ringer I could hear at a 2,000 feet altitude. So, I hired this fantastic woman named Hanne who now answers the phone, takes the orders and when I arrive safely on the ground, I check in with her. This arrangement has been working quite well the past week, well with the exception of one call.
On Friday night I am dispatched to a house where a boy, whose name is Paul has lost his first tooth. Quite traumatized was Paul because he was only 5! He had been told that he had at least another year or two before this ‘normally’ occurred.
Just shortly after midnight I arrived at his home in Vicksburg, Mississippi. I spied an open window and flew in. I was quite surprised to find many adults in the middle of what appeared to be a party in the living room. Wine bottles, beer bottles – both empty and full decorated their living room. People were drinking, dancing and laughing lots and lots. I estimated that there were probably 40 people in the room. The first concern I had, who is watching little Paul?
Somebody in his rather inebriated state took notice of me and although quite surprised, he seemed rather composed. “You look like the Tooth Fairy! I have seen your picture before!”
“I am indeed. I am here to replace the tooth of young Master Paul. Do you know which room I might find him?” I asked.
“There’s no Paul living here. There is Uncle Paul who’s at the party and he has lost a couple of teeth, but he is 75. My name is David.”
“There must be a mistake. I have been directed to come to this home.” I said, I was quite confused as you might imagine.
“Nope, no kids here. We are here celebrating our niece’s good fortune. She graduated from Med School last month and got hired at Duke University.” David paused, “Is it possible that you mean Paul next door?”
By this time a crowd was gathering and nobody could quite make sense of what was going on. They all just kept tilting their heads and looking as if they had seen a ghost. I am quite familiar with this look.
I pulled out my notes. I read them allowed to David. “Paul Higgins, 751 Burlington Street, Vicksburg, MS. I am quite concerned as I need to see him and replace his tooth with a little money and send him a Tooth Fairy Certificate.”
“Oh, little Paully lost his tooth? He lives down the way a bit in house number 715 Burlington. Go on, now. Get moving, it’s just that way.” With that David had opened the door and pointed to his right. “It’s the house with all the Halloween decorations. You can’t miss it.”
With that I was on my way and indeed Mr. David was correct. I found Paul’s room, I exchanged a little money and removed his tooth and left as quickly as I came. I called Hanne and asked her about the error. “Oh I have a little dyslexia. Sorry hun! I will be more careful next time. I promise!”
As you might imagine, Hanne and I had a little chat about being more careful to get the correct information. I certainly would not a repeat of that situation again!
I have now successfully come home and sent young Paul a Tooth Fairy Certificate. I also sent a note to the people living at the incorrect address a thank you note. That was very kind of them to assist me. But then again, I have learned that people living in the south are some of the nicest that I have had the pleasure of meeting.
Goodnight dear readers. I hope you enjoyed this segment. It was certainly interesting while it was happening.
Love,
The Tooth Fairy
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Tooth Fairy Letters