A total Kramer

A couple of months ago, my daughter lost a tooth. It just so happened, that her tooth fell out on a Friday night when my parents were out of town and my kiddos and I were about to go meet our friends for our local version of Friday Night Lights.

No big deal, right? Wrong.

My son, her brother, a veteran tooth looser and unbelievable memory keeper, remembered a year gone by when he was in a similar situation and asked the Tooth Fairy for a toy, not money. That time, I had back up though. I called up my mother in law who graciously helped out and SURPRISE! the next morning, the "Tooth Fairy" delivered just what he had asked for.

Flash forward 3 years. Quincy proudly announces to all who can hear her at the football game, that she finally lost her tooth and the Tooth Fairy will be delivering her specially requested item later that evening. Above the roar of the crowd and the laughter of my friends, I mouth over her head, "HELP! What do I do?"  Brilliant as my friends are, they suggested leaving a note from the Tooth Fairy with an I.O.U. So, I did. All was well, everyone was happy. The lore was still alive in our household.

As I headed out the door, on my way to class, Quincy showed me her tooth. It was precariously perched at a 90 degree angle, and most definitely on it's way out. Casually, I asked if she had pre-ordered with the Tooth Fairy, ya know, just to make sure everything is in stock. Thankfully no, she hadn't. So, she and Turner sat down, wrote a note....Barbie please...No problem! I can sneak out of class early, stop by Walmart, pick up a Barbie, I am heroine once again...er...the Tooth Fairy is heroine, once again.

Skipping into the store, smiling to myself thinking I am so crafty....crap. No wallet. NOOOOOOOO!!!!! I ran back to my car. I looked high, I looked low and holy smokes! I found $10 of change in my car! (Yet another reason to be thankful for the recent holiday extravaganza travels and no Easy Pass.) I can still be a heroine!! Umm, er...the Tooth Fairy...that is.

Jeremy, a 6'5" crossed eyed "intellectual" was my cashier. I apologized for my payment in coins, gave a brief explanation of "Oh..ha ha...the story behind this..ha ha..." Do you know? The GALL of this man? He didn't believe that my Susan B. Anthony coin was real! Here I am, moments away from realizing my true (sorry, the Tooth Fairy's true) heroine-ism and Jeremy holds my children's belief of the Tooth Fairy and every other made-up-gift-giving-fake-object/person that is out there based on whether I have given, or have not given him a fake Susan B. Anthony coin? Is that even a possibility?! Can he possibly understand how the hopes and dreams of my children are being held in those mammoth Jolly Green Giant hands of his?

.....and then....he drops those massive hands, looks up at me with those (now adorable) crossed-eyes...opens his mouth and I feel a sense of faith, of hope, of...could it be...renewal? I hold my breath as he starts to speak....

"Really, don't feel bad. I had a guy come in here and buy $40.79 worth of tube socks. All in quarters, with 4 pennies of course. A total Kramer. Except without the slippery shoes."

DUDE! Gimme my Barbie! I've got a date with the freakin' Tooth Fairy!