Perceptive Little Scamp

(Apologies if you heard this from me in Chicago... I figured it was still worth recording.)

Hannah had an exhaustively good time in Chicago, meaning she barely slept, especially on her first day there. Fueled by her cousin's non-stop energy and a steady supply of sugary sweets, she finally collapsed late Friday night and had to be carried downstairs to her bed.

Problem was... it was just me. (Even if Rachelle's doctor had allowed her to travel, pushing through airports was the last thing she wanted to do.) I get stubborn when I'm alone. And I had a clear picture of how much candy she had ingested during the day, 'cause I gave her most of it. So I knew her teeth needed brushing. But she disagreed.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO, I don't want to brush!"

"Just a little," I pleaded.

"NO! Just bed, RIGHT NOW!"

"How about you just brush with water, no toothpaste?"

She begins to whimper. "NO!"

"Come on, just water!"

Now it's a full-on pout. She's not even answering me.

"But you'll get cavities if you don't brush."

"I. DON'T. CARE."

"Fine," I say, trying to sound tough but secretly waving a white flag, "but you have to promise that if you don't brush tonight, you WILL brush first-thing tomorrow morning. WITH toothpaste."

"Fine," huffs Hannah. With that, she turns around and climbs right into bed. Her head quickly hits the pillow and I start to sing a song. Why are there so many... songs about rainbows...

"Tell me a story!" she demands.

I look at her. She's pissed off (as if she has any right), and she's serious.

"You want a story? Fine, I'll give you a story -- Once upon a time, there was a girl who ate candy ALL DAY LONG, but then when it was time to go to bed, she refused to brush her teeth. You have to brush your teeth, said her Aba. But she didn't care. You can brush them without toothpaste, said her Aba. But she didn't care. No toothpaste! Just water! She just shook her head. But you'll get cavities, said her Aba. But she didn't care. Finally, her Aba said, Fine, you can brush your teeth in the morning, but it has to be with toothpaste. And the little girl agreed to this. Then she went to bed, and when she woke up in the morning, you know what? She had cavities!"

Even in the darkened room, I can see Hannah's wide eyes staring at me. Her little voice asks just one question:

"Is it me?"