The Missing ToothThe Missing ToothBy: Mary PackardBy: Mary Packard

John AcamporaINCD-140-01

Pan03-09-05

I had a big I had a big Problem.Problem.

I was just so I was just so upset!upset!

None of my teeth None of my teeth had fallen out had fallen out

yet.yet.

I checked out I checked out my teeth,my teeth,

Top and bottom Top and bottom each night.each night.

Not one tooth Not one tooth was loose.was loose.

Each one was Each one was in tight.in tight.

In school I would In school I would give each tooth a give each tooth a

good nudge. good nudge.

It was no use.It was no use.

My teeth did not My teeth did not budge.budge.

A mouth filled with A mouth filled with teeth makes you teeth makes you feel like a fool.feel like a fool.

You see, in the You see, in the first grade,first grade,

Spacey smiles are Spacey smiles are so cool.so cool.

Max lost his front toothMax lost his front tooth

When he played hide and go When he played hide and go seek. And Jen lost her tooth seek. And Jen lost her tooth

in an Apple last week.in an Apple last week.

Then this morning Then this morning at breakfast, my at breakfast, my

tooth just tooth just popped out! I popped out! I

jumped jumped

off my chair and off my chair and let out let out

a shout!a shout!

““Hey, Mom! Hey, Mom! Hey, Dad! Hey, Dad! Look what Look what happened!” happened!” I said. “My I said. “My tooth just tooth just feel out feel out

when I bit when I bit down on down on

my bread!”my bread!”

I felt with my tongue where I felt with my tongue where my tooth used to be.my tooth used to be.

It felt empty and strange—It felt empty and strange—

And just perfect to me!And just perfect to me!

I showed off my gap I showed off my gap

when I got on the bus. when I got on the bus.

And even the driver And even the driver

made a big fuss.made a big fuss.

When I got to school When I got to school

it took quite a whileit took quite a while

to show everyone my to show everyone my

new spacey smile.new spacey smile.

At the end of At the end of the day,the day,

I saw Grandma I saw Grandma Ruth.Ruth.

““Hi sweetheart,” Hi sweetheart,” she said.she said.

““Will you show Will you show me me

your tooth?”your tooth?”

I reached into I reached into my my

pocket. “Sure pocket. “Sure Grandma,” Grandma,”

I said. But my I said. But my tooth wasn’t tooth wasn’t

there—there—Just a big hole Just a big hole

instead.instead.

We searched and we We searched and we searched.searched.

We looked all around.We looked all around.

But hard as we tried,But hard as we tried,

My tooth couldn’t be found.My tooth couldn’t be found.

I got ready for bed and I got ready for bed and much to my shock—much to my shock—

There was a tooth There was a tooth

tumbling out of tumbling out of

my sock!my sock!

It had slipped through It had slipped through

my pocket, not makingmy pocket, not making

a sound. And droppeda sound. And dropped

into my sock. Hooray! into my sock. Hooray!

It was found!It was found!

So I got into bed andSo I got into bed and

turned out the light.turned out the light.

And best part of all—And best part of all—

It was tooth fairy night!It was tooth fairy night!