Farewell, Moldy Tooth

I thought I should report that Allison's moldy tooth fell out. Inna, Allison's babysitter, informed all of the moms at the bus stop about the tooth loss.

So as we walked home I decided to ask her about it.

"So, Allison, I hear you lost a tooth."

"Yeah, it was my moldy one. Do you want to see it?"

Of course I wanted to see it. How could I pass up a chance to inspect the infamous moldy tooth up close?

It was all wrapped up in a special pink tooth pillow. We paused and she very ceremoniously unwrapped it. There it was--a little molar covered by a silver cap that glinted in the sunlight.

"So that's your moldy tooth, huh?"

"Yeah, see right there, that's the moldy part." She turned the tooth over and pointed to the little stubby part of the tooth where the roots had once been. I leaned in closer as she explained, "See that brown stuff, that's mold."

"I see, mmm-hmmm," I said, nodding my head appreciatively. It just looked like tooth to me, but I didn't let on. "So Allison, why didn't you put the tooth under your pillow for the Tooth Fairy?"

She was very distressed. "I don't know what I'm going to do with this tooth. The Tooth Fairy can't take it up to Heaven and give it to any babies."

"Because she only gives babies white teeth?"

"No, she sometimes gives silver teeth, but not moldy teeth."

"I see your dilemma."

We had arrived at our homes by this point, and so we our goodbyes and parted ways. I'm not sure what will become of the moldy tooth. It may just stay where it is, forever enshrined in its little pink pillow.

Luckily, soon Allison can expect a nice new white tooth, fresh from Heaven. It will be pretty and clean, but it definitely won't be as interesting as the moldy one.