Teeth and Fairies

We Smiths have been shlepping across our great nation for the last several days. And yes, we all still like each other. Even Todd. I was a little worried at mixing him into our road trip since the boys and I are quite accustomed to doing this without him, but it has been quite pleasant. I think I'll keep him. ;)

One night we ate dinner in our hotel room in Rapid City, South Dakota. After dinner, Benjamin had a piece of oh so healthy and nutritious licorice. (Alright, so licorice is neither healthy nor nutritious, but he was eating it anyway.) While eating it, his tooth fell out!

Benjamin after rinsing the blood out of his mouth, carefully placed the tooth on the hotel desk because we decided it would be safer than under one of the billions of pillows on the bed. Todd was being a very polite hotel guest and was busy picking up all the little pieces of cheese that Nathaniel had managed to get all over the carpet while eating his dinner. Sadly, he mistook the tooth for a piece of cheese and threw it in the garbage.

The mistake was immediately realized, and Todd proceded to pick through the garbage to find the tiny white tooth. After rescuing it he went into the bathroom to rinse all the cheese and carpet fibers off of it...and managed to wash it down the drain.

Benjamin was understandably heartbroken at the loss of his tooth and Nathaniel was indignant that his father would even think to do such a thing. He spent the rest of the night suggesting scenarios for Todd that would have saved the tooth. Poor Todd felt understandably horrible.

Everyone rallied though, when I told Benjamin that the tooth fairy would still bring him money. (I think it was actually the description of the tooth fairy that rallied him most. I told him he looked like my friend Chris Ian wearing a tutu. It's a powerful image.)

Sure enough, the next morning a dollar was found...right by the drain. Apparently, the tooth fairy has a sense of humor.