The Day I Helped the Tooth Fairy

"Hey,look!" said Rashad as he felt a loose tooth in his mouth."The tooth fairy will be coming
pretty soon," he said.

His older brother Rasheed, came to investigate his brother's mouth.

"Let me see," said Rasheed, "which tooth is it?" he asked.

Rashad pointed to the loose tooth and moved it a little with his slender fingers.

"This one," he said.

"Oh boy," said Rasheed, "that one will bring us a dollar for sure."

"What do you mean bring us? It's my tooth remember?" Rashad replied. "

" I know that." said Rasheed, as he thought of a plan. " You know we don't have to wait until that tooth falls out. We can help it."

"Well it's not ready yet, it's going to be awhile."said Rashad.

"Not if we help it." answered Rasheed,showing a mischievous wide grin.

"How are we going to do that?" Rashad asked,looking puzzled.

It wasn't long before the boys were standing at the refrigerator. Rasheed opened the door, and they both peered in.

"You gotta eat something hard to loosen it up." said Rasheed, taking control of the situation. "Before you know it, your tooth is out, and the tooth fairy will be happy. You will have your money, and then we can get our ice cream. Chocolate for you and strawberry for me."

Rashad loved chocolate ice cream, he could eat it everyday, so this was a splendid idea.

Rasheed grabbed a bag of long crisp carrots, a bag of red juicy apples, and a bag of celery sticks.

"I have to eat all of that, for one tooth?" Rashad asked.

"No, silly,just until your tooth comes out."

"Is that what you did when your tooth came out?"

"Nope, grandpa, tied a string on it and yanked it out," said Rasheed, "this is better."

"I like this way better too," said Rashad, as he bit into an apple.

"Did anything happen?" asked Rasheed.

"Nope," Rashad replied, as he continued to eat. Every now and then he would stop eating, and check how loose his tooth was.

"How loose is it now? asked Rasheed.

"Still the same."

"Maybe you have to take bigger bites, here, try this carrot," said Rasheed.

Rashad took the carrot and crunched down on it, and began to chew.

"I think this is going to take all day," said the older brother as he took an apple to munch on. "I think you're going to have to eat each and every apple,carrot and celery stick, before that tooth comes out."

The boys sat on the kitchen floor, Rashad munching away on the fruit and vegtables,

There were only two apples, four carrots, and one celery stick left, when Rashad felt that he could'nt eat another bite.

"I can't eat anymore," he said " the tooth fairy, the ice cream, will just have to wait. My stomach is hurting."

"Let me feel your tooth." said Rasheed "You can't stop now, it's almost ready. The tooth fairy will be glad to get that big shiny tooth."

"What do the fairies do with all those teeth anyway?" Rashad asked.

"Don't know, maybe give them all away." Rasheed replied. "I bet if you eat those last two apples, that tooth will just fall on the floor."

"I feel sick, I don't want to eat nothing else."

" Not even chocolate ice cream?" Rasheed asked, trying to persuade his brother.

Just then their mother came into the kitchen.

"What are you two doing?" she asked.

"We are trying to make Rashad's tooth come out, "I think it is ready." said Rasheed.

"You leave that boy's tooth alone! It will come out when it is time," she said with annoyance.

"My stomach hurts." said Rashad.

"I guess so, trying to eat everything in the refrigerator," their mother remarked.

"He just ate the hard stuff," answered Rasheed.

" I guess this was your big idea," their mother replied, talking to Rasheed.

" I thought of it," said Rasheed, grinning from ear to ear. "I was just helping the tooth fairy."

"We were going to take the money and buy ice cream cones," said Rashad sadly. "but now, I don't want anything, I just want my stomach to stop hurting."

The boys were sent to their room. Rashad spent the rest of the day on his bed, moaning and groaning, and rubbing his stomach. Rasheed looked at him, with sympathy in his dark brown eyes.

"Sorry you got sick, that wasn't suppose to happen," said Rasheed. "You just have a stubborn old tooth.You want me to yanked it out,like grandpa did mine? You want me to try and do that?" asked Rasheed.

"No!" said Rashad, "Just forget it!"

That evening when dinner was ready, the boys came to the table, Rashad's stomach was feeling better, and he was ready to eat.

"I'm not thinking about this loose tooth anymore." he told his mother, as he sat down.

"I'm glad to hear that," she said, as she handed him an ear of buttered corn. " Just don't think about it anymore, the tooth fairy will be here soon enough," she replied.

Rashad sank his teeth into the buttery cob of corn, butter was dripping from his mouth. He took the back of his hand and wiped the butter from his lips. Before he could take another bite, and much to his surprise, there lying beside the napkin that he forgot to use, was his shiny tooth.

"Look!" he said, "My tooth fell out."

"Well it looks like the tooth fairy is stopping by here tonight, afterall," their mother said.

"Yeah," said Rashad with glee, "The tooth fairy is coming."

"Well don't forget I helped," said Rasheed.

" Ice cream for both of us tomorrow." said Rashad, " chocolate for me, and strawberry for you.