What My Child Lost at the White House
So, the kids went to cover the Kids’ State Dinner again at the White House on Friday. (Click on that link to read their article!) It’s obviously a mind-blowing, wonderful event that makes you want to go home and eat a salad.
And then there was this.
We were sitting in the press pen, waiting for the next interview when the ChickieNob looked at me and then took something out of her mouth. “My tooth just fell out,” she said, grimacing so I could see the bloody space where the tooth once stood.
“Uh… urggggggg… uh,” I said, not knowing what to do with the human tooth that was now resting in the palm of my hand. I mean, yeah, I know I grew her and everything, but when I signed up for parenthood, I did not realize that it would mean standing around, holding discarded body parts.
“Mr. Kass,” she said, pivoting to face Sam Kass, the White House chef who was passing by, “do you have time for some questions?”
Without missing a beat, she launched into her litany of questions while her brother worked the audio equipment. And I stood there. With a human tooth.
When they were finally done talking, I leaned forward and said, “Mr. Kass. Um. My daughter just lost her tooth. Do you have… maybe a tissue… or something I could put it in.”
I wish I could have photographed his face as well as everyone else the ChickieNob told that day. I’m sure it wasn’t the first tooth lost in the White House, but… I mean… bloody gums and a human tooth in my hand: probably not an everyday occurrence when the vast majority of the people working around you are over the age of ten.
Sam got her a napkin, and she asked if he wanted it back. No, I don’t think Mr. Kass wants a bloody napkin back. We put it in my purse and she said, “well, in that case, someone should make a museum of interesting things covered in blood. This napkin could be a great exhibit.”
So my daughter can now say, before the age of ten, that she has zombie-walked through the Rose Garden and lost her tooth in the East Room.
Oh, and written two articles.
17 comments
lol Awesomesauce
I love the poise. This will be a great story to tell at the party celebrating her first Pulitzer.
What presence of mind and poise! I love this!! Tell her this when she’s a teenager and nervous about something!
Very impressive of the ChickieNob to be able to so quickly get into journalist mode and get her questions answered after losing her tooth!
I actually laughed out loud however when I read the line about how you did not expect parenthood to include holding discarded body parts. I have to admit, such things have never figured into any of my dreams or expectations of parenthood either. But it sounds like everything went pretty well, tooth and all.
That? Is amazing.
I guess you will now always win the one-upmanship game. “Yeah? Well did you ever stand in the White House, holding a bloody tooth, while your daughter interviewed the White House chef? I didn’t think so.”
I love that you included a photo of the tooth!!! What a memorable night! Your girl has definitely got some spunk!!
This is wonderful! Your daughter is fabulous… as is her mother. 🙂
I loved this.
Until the photo. One of the advantages of not being a mother is not having to look at (or hold) discarded body parts! lol
PS – Don’t you carry tissues in a handbag? I can’t go anywhere without either item.
LOL! So great!
And thanks for informing that molars do in fact fall out. I’ve forgotten about that during my own tooth-losing phase and have been wondering about it while watching Paxlet’s teeth come in.
Ha, a bloody White House napkin is a pretty awesome souvenir!
That girl sounds like someone I’d like to be friends with. 😀
That is a great story 🙂
What a great story she will have to tell!
I LOVE this. 🙂 Particularly the fact that she doesn’t miss a beat.
My son lost his first tooth at camp the other day, and forgot to tell us about it, because apparently he swallowed it. Either that, or it’s at the bottom of the pool. Either way, he seemed pretty unfazed by the whole experience. Then again, he wasn’t interviewing people at the White House … 😉
What a great story!! Love this!
That’s great!!! oh the stories she will have to tell.