The Tooth and the Dollar

He walked up to his mother to say his final goodbye; There wasn’t an eye in church that at that moment was dry. He turned and looked at his father for a reassuring glance, Then reached his hand deeply into the pockets of his pants. He pulled out the little white tooth he lost the day before, And gently placed it upon the pretty blue dress that she wore. “I was going to give this to the Tooth Fairy, but thought you might want it instead, To remember the boy who loves you and once had it in his head You can keep it with you always, while living up there in heaven I have plenty of others left to loose, I think I counted eleven. And Mommy, I will always remember, how you helped me wiggle it free, And how even when you didn’t feel too well, you always had a hug for me. And I will take care of Daddy, just like you asked me to And he said that he will always make sure that we both remember you.” He turned back toward his father, with tears running down his face, And quickly rushed up to that man for a comforting embrace. “You did great little Buddy, now Mommy can get some rest With a God who will take care of her, in the place she loves the best. And she will keep your tooth with her and hold on to it real tight And tell the tooth fairy to leave you a dollar under your pillow tonight.” I know that story very well, because I am that boy you see, And have held on to that silver dollar dated nineteen sixty-three. But now that once again I stand before an open casket, I am putting this symbol of love in the pocket of my father’s jacket. “Tell Mother that you were good to me and we never did forget her.” Finally, after all these years, the tooth and dollar are back together.