Brenda Z. Guiberson

“Oh, dear,” said Mom when I came downstairs. “You aren’t going to wear that to the dentist’s office, are you? Well, there’s no time to change. Let’s go.”
“Mom,” I said. “Good morning. How are you doing? Listen, could I go to the dentist later? Important things to do today.”
Mom wearily pointed to the yellow paper on the table that announced, THIS IS A 3-2-1 DAY, in bright red crayon.
“Does that mean no, Mom?” I said. “Why don’t you just say so?”
Mom shrugged her shoulders and looked at me sadly. “I’m sorry. You’ll have to go,” she said. “I can’t change the appointment now.”
I picked up a napkin and scribbled a reply. SO LET’S GET MOVING. And we did, without even time for a piece of fruit.
At Dr. Dory’s office, Ellen cried and fussed and had perfect teeth. I sat quietly through the whole exam and he found two cavities, my first. I was shocked!
Mom was embarrassed. She pointed to the chart Dr. Dory keeps of all the kids who have perfect teeth. “Now you won’t get to be in the Great Teeth Club,” she said. “Maybe you need to brush longer. Ellen seems to spend more time at it than you.”
I looked up at the bright, curved light over my head and thought about the sun shining on the even-tempered Turtle People. They would never get upset over teeth, such a small part of the big scheme of things.”
― Brenda Z. Guiberson, Turtle People

“We’ll be watching to see if there is room for those new molars,” he said. “Richie may need braces soon.”
Mom didn’t say anything. She was back where no one could reach her. Did she even hear him?
Well, I heard. Braces! They’d have to find me first. I hoped Dr. Dory couldn’t swim. I already knew that my mother had never been in anything deeper or colder than bathtub water.”
― Brenda Z. Guiberson, Turtle People