I felt a persistent tapping on my leg and I looked down to see this little girl with a wide smile looking up at me. A shy smile of expectation! She held up a little wad of toilet tissue, "Here Brother Von!" ... I took this little tissue package and carefully opened it up; just as I expected, it was a little tooth. Her tooth. She eagerly pointed to the empty spot in her smile and held out her hand.
You see in Mexico they don't have a "Tooth Fairy" ... they have a Tooth Mouse, and this rather poor Tooth Mouse is pretty stingy and a bit irresponsible! So they have learned to look to von for compassion. A rather tall old Tooth Mouse with glasses.
Years and years, and years ... and yes, years ago, I decided to give a little Mexican kid a dollar for their tooth. Actually, if I would have kept all of the teeth I've gained through the years, I would easily have a five gallon drum full of kids teeth. Often the child will wait, saving their tooth, for three or four weeks before seeing me again ... but there it is; their little tooth and a proud expectant smile.
I wonder why they think I want their tooth?? Gratitude? Seldom; it's just a dental exchange. Better yet, it's a dollar!
As money in Tijuana gets more difficult to find, I've seen some changes come in this "Von" tradition. For one thing more kids seem to be losing their teeth? On occasions kids are taking teeth from their buddies mouth. (On the spot cash!) I draw the limits at bloody teeth.
I've had kids try to pass off realistic stones; even dog's teeth from a well dead dog three blocks down the street.
The kids in their poverty get very creative!
I've spent years learning to be alert and discerning in giving of any kind! (The Tooth Mouse insists they have to point to where the missing tooth came from.)
The latest scam, is getting a molar, chipping it in half and trying to pass it off as two teeth.
Observation: poverty eventually trickles down to the small kids, the "Tooth Mouse" ... and Brother Von.
