The Class of 2009

Dear Madelyn,

The main event of the past week was most certainly your graduation from high school, but I’ve put off writing about it because of teeth. Really. Every time I turn around I come face to face with a new tooth issue! I’ve come to think there must be a connection, however murky, between your graduation and all these teeth!

Maybe when you write a blog you’re more attuned to the possibility of connectedness in what formerly seemed random, but the subject of teeth has been remarkably intrusive.

It started with Karsten, when he bounced off that ball,  crashing into a marble fireplace surround, and breaking his two front teeth. Accidents do happen, but this one established the pattern. Celeste had no teeth, but now some are trying to break through, and she’s cranky.

William has been losing a baby tooth every few days for the last two weeks, and regular trips are made to the bank to keep the tooth fairy supplied with cash. There was some discussion about the proper amount for the tooth fairy to leave, with the going rate finally established at $5.  Then William lost his bottom, right tooth, which happened to be a double tooth, so the discussion had to be opened again.

Robert had a root canal Thursday. Not everyone is given the same gifts. Some people do not have trouble free teeth. I would like to not, however, be the assigned culprit any longer for whatever bad genes my children claim they have inherited.

On Tuesday our dentist’s office called to say Frank had missed his cleaning appointment. I told them I was sorry, but something came up, namely, open heart surgery. He didn’t remember to call and cancel before they split his chest open, and I didn’t even know he had the appointment.

Your graduation ceremony was on Monday and you had your wisdom teeth out on Friday, which introduces the most interesting question of all! Do you know it all, now that you are a graduate? Is that why you don’t need your wisdom teeth anymore? What does it mean that you only had the two upper wisdom teeth? Luck? Genes?

Do you see why this connection has become a subject we can really get our teeth into?

Madelyn, I know they said at graduation that you can spread your wings and fly, but in your case I’m convinced the tea leaves point to teeth. So use those choppers, and taste life from Apple Pie to lemon Zest! If the menu ever seems bland, just call to mind the deafening cheers from the stands when your class of 2009 walked into Allen Arena. The outpouring of love and pride gave me chills, and I thought I was going to cry. Waves of cheers and smiles and calling of names followed as each of you processed to your seat.  You all looked a little overwhelmed, like you wished those mortar boards were big enough to let you hide, but you were smiling, too, as you tried to see where your families were seated. A thousand cell phones had already texted you, “Right hand side, middle, half way up,” and three hundred cell phones had texted back, ” Right hand side, fifth row, fourth seat”. The room was filled with popping camera lights, waving handmade signs, cheers, whistles, and flashing, white, smiling ……TEETH!

Maybe that’s it? All of this toothy activity just means you make us smile. We salute your accomplishment. Good job! You’ve come a long way to being the strong, smart, confident, patient and kind woman I saw walking up to receive that richly deserved diploma. Getting to this point was fun, hard, heartbreaking, rewarding, but you made it! We’ll never stop cheering for you. We absolutely love you!

RAH, RAH, RAH! SIS BOOM BAH! Be true to your school!

And remember what your Grandy always says, “Be true to your teeth, or they’ll be false to you”.