Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Christmas Gifts (11/13/08)
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TITLE: All I Want for Chrithmath | Previous Challenge Entry
By Carole Robishaw
11/18/08 -
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This is the forth Christmas in a row Sally has regaled us with her toothless song. It all started when she was helping out in the kitchen almost five years ago. Sally had climbed up on a chair to see what we were doing and the chair tipped forward, smashing her face against the metal of the stove. After we got the mess cleaned up, we discovered she had lost both of her front teeth. She has gone the last few years with an empty space, while waiting for new ones to grow in. I’m afraid it’ll cause a permanent speech impediment, as she was just learning to talk when she lost her teeth.
“Sally, please stop with that song, I don’t want to hear it any more and it’s still three weeks before Christmas,” I implored.
“I like thinging thith thong, Mommy,” she lisped, grinning like the imp she was as she galloped off into the other room, hopefully to torture someone else for a while.
Oh Lord, is she ever going to be able to speak properly? It is just so hard to understand her, surely some day her teeth will grow in, please? I prayed silently, as I had probably a dozen times a day, for all these years. Why do I still feel so guilty for her falling? There was no way to catch her in time! It was over in seconds, and now I feel this agony every time she smiles, which seems to be constantly. She is such a bubbly little girl, so full of life and laughter. She is truly a gift, God, thank you for her, speech impediment or not, I couldn’t love her any more. Her smile lights up an entire room, the minute she enters.
I found myself humming Sally’s favorite song as I finished preparing dinner, smiling as I realized what I was humming.
The next three weeks flew by, all of us so tired of hearing:
Gee, if I could only have my two front teeth,
then I could withh you "Merry Chrithmath."
Finally it was Christmas Eve, only one more day of the song. I was tucking Sally under the covers, we had just said her prayers together, as we did very night.
“I promithe, mommy, I won’t thing the thong anymore after Chrithmath ith over till next Chrithmath. Mommy, do you think my teeth might come in thith year? Then I won’t have to thing it ever again, will I?” she laughed, knowing how much she had irritated us with her regale.
I laughed with her, and kissed her button nose one more time, running my fingers through her beautiful blonde curls. “Maybe, sweet cheeks, maybe this is your year, you’re old enough, finally, for them to be growing in.” With that I stood up and left the room, saying my own prayer, Lord, please, let them come in this year.
The next few hours were busy, retrieving hidden gifts, and setting them out under the tree.
“Tom, I think it’s perfect. Sally is going to love that pink bike!”
“I certainly hope so, it took long enough to put it together! I think it’s the next best thing to getting new teeth.” Laughing, Tom put away his tools, before they turned out the lights. One last tour of the bedrooms, making sure everyone was tucked in, then they headed for bed.
******************
“All I want for Chrithmath ith my two front teeth, my two front teeth” was being bellowed from the top of her lungs as Sally made her way downstairs the next morning.
Then she saw the bike. The song instantly turned to excited squeals, as she started jumping up and down with glee. “Mommy, Daddy, a bike, Thanta brought me a bike, a pink bike, all my own!”
Sally posed next to her bike for pictures. Click! Click! Tom was checking to make sure the picture was just right, then, suddenly, he started laughing. “Sally, come here, sweetie, look, see what I see in that big smile of yours!”
Sally, looked, then ran her tongue across her no longer empty gums, “I won’t have to thing my thong any more, will I?”
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This is just such a sweet little story..Good Job!
I could hear the little girl thinging her thong. How precious.
My favorite so far :)
Gorgeous ending to a fun story.
Our 8-year old has just lost a few teeth (in the normal manner, thank goodness!). Mercifully since he's growing up in Mozambique he doesn't know that song!
Love,
Norms