“POP” Goes the Tooth Fairy…
There comes a time in all our lives when you come all that much closer to shedding your childhood innocence on the road to become a grown up. Eventually the beliefs that instill that sense of wonder start to unravel beneath you. I remember distinctly, even after forty some odd years, the day that my brother told me that Santa was not real. I’ll never forget, it was Christmas Eve, and I’d already gone up to bed for the night. I had heard what sounded like “Ho Ho Ho!” coming from downstairs and was beside myself with excitement. I was five. My brother, who is three years my senior, saw the joy in my little eyes, and said in a voice so calmly–you know Santa is not real…I may as well have been sucker punched to the gut. I couldn’t believe it. We had a conversation at that point to explain why he wasn’t real. I don’t remember exactly what he said, but I know that he did somehow convince me.
My own childhood had all the usual trappings of youth: Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, Santa Claus. We looked forward to all of these tradtions every year, and my dad’s 8mm vidoes were living proof. I always loved watching those old home movies. Each reel retold Our family’s annual events in a predictable fashion: Easter, summer vacation at the Jersey shore, and Christmas with the odd Christening/birth, First Communion, graduation or wedding thrown in every now and then to mix things up a bit. There was something warmly comforting about following those traditions every year, and I’m pretty sure that all of my siblings also consider these memories a treasure from our earlier lives as kids.
Now that I have my own family, we’ve tried to develop our own traditions with our own kids as well, although, I have to admit I haven’t been as consistent as my dear parents were. Some years we look for baskets at Easter, other times we hide eggs around the house with various goodies inside. Sometimes we have folks over to celebrate Christmas Eve, sometimes we just enjoy being with our own immediate family. Sometimes we’ve gone on a picnic for Mother’s Day, sometimes the boys and my husband fire up the grill and make a swell dinner for mom. The point is, even though it might be a little different each year, the main crux of any tradition is that it’s usually always centered around family and often times close friends as well.
Our tradition with the tooth fairy has been a bit haphazard, I’m sorry to say. Unfortunately, there are times that I’ve fallen asleep on the sofa and plumb forgot. I’ve had to stash money underneath the bed, after the fact saying it must have somehow fallen out. Some damn near close calls, but always managed to pull out respectably in the end. That is, until this year. One Sunday morning after my son, who’s now 11 had lost a tooth, my two boys and I were sitting in church when I realized that I had forgotten all about his tooth being placed under the pillow the night before. My husband was not feeling up to church that day, so I figured, oh cool, I can send him a message and still score the cash under the pillow. I pulled out my phone, and had my back turned to my toothless son, and had pointed my other son safely away from the view of my phone. I quickly typed out–Don’t forget $ under pillow. XXOO Wife”. Whew! Sent. Done. Snapped my phone shut–and I look to my right and see my poor toothless son looking with his mouth dropped in shock as I shut my phone. Crap. He saw my message after all that. Just when I thought I was good. That’s what I get for texting in church. I guess he had to figure it out one of these days anyway. We never did put cash under the pillow since he had figured out the real deal, and just chalked it up to one of those things that would happen sooner or later.
Another month has passed, and on of all days, my son had lost a tooth the same day that 911 was called to the school for him being shocked via an electrical outlet. As if there wasn’t already enough drama and excitement for one day. We were home for the day when he had pulled out the cute little case shapped like a tiny molar that you get during school if you happen to lose your tooth while you are there. When he pulled it out, he mentioned he’d have to leave it that night for the tooth fairy, and we both shared a knowing smile that our cover had been blown last month. I just started laughing, and gave him a hug and didn’t think too much of it after that thinking my duties as tooth fairy, at least with this child were safely retired.
As I went to check on my son that night after he had fallen asleep I was greeted by a wonderful note that brought a big fat grin to my face. It was taped to the door and scrawled on both sides in his boyish handwriting a la bright blue magic marker. It said:
“Dear Tooth Fairy, I lost a tooth today. I am sure that god told you that I got shocked! (cont.) Ow! Boy, Did that HURT! Well, gotta go. Bye for now! love Tommy” This is one of those times where I just adore being a mom. I love what wonderful little human beings with their own little personalities they’ve turned out to be.
The next morning my son said cheerily, “I wonder if the tooth fairy saw my note?” I just had to start smiling again. He looked at me and said with the straightest face–I know I know, the mom puts the money under the pillow, I know you texted dad…but anyway, can I still have a dollar?
I hope that I treasure each of these priceless moments as I know, sadly, that with each passing day they will get fewer and farther apart.