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Fairy Busy

My favorite niece lost her front tooth the other night. Okay, she's my only niece. And she rocks.

When bedtime came, she followed household tradition and plopped her itsy-bitsy incisor into an envelope. Placed under her pillow, it was an engraved invitation for fabled fairy of tooth.

Next morning, she came downstairs, envelope in hand.

"Mom,” she said with a sad bewilderment, “the tooth fairy didn't come."

Oops, we just lost the Parents of the Year Award … mom and dad’s simultaneous realization of muddled midnight magic during their daughter's dreamcycle.

And without even a full cup of coffee in her, my quick-witted (albeit sometime forgetful) sister explained, “Well sweetie, you know those fairies get awfully busy this time of year. She’s probably just a little backed up. Put it back under your pillow. I’m sure she’ll get here as soon as she can.”

Later that day, Miss Girl was thrilled to find two bucks in her envelope … a far cry from the two bits we got when we were kids.

Seems the toof fairy got guilted into a two-fer-one premium.

Gosh, there’s so many rules to having kids. Not only do you have to feed them (every day from what I hear), but you have to remember to schedule appointments with magical creatures. I’ve got a lot of fairies on my speed dial, but nary a one who doles out dough for dental detritus.

I don’t know how you parents do it. God bless you all.