The tooth!!

Today I went outside to feed the dogs.. then sat down under the tree and was hugging my knees and enjoying the birds  flitting down to peck at the crumbs and seeds I leave for them, and my hand was casually  brushing on the lawn and  suddwenly - my fingers touched an unfamiliar object. I picked it up, and ... OMG! it was a  human tooth! A big front tooth - with a long pointy root. I dropped it SO fast and scrambled to my  feet. I  backed away, calling Brandy to come follow me, and scampered into the house,  my heart pounding!  When I had calmed down and  poured myself a coffee, I began to wonder about  the  tooth (which I had left on the lawn next to the seed bag. )
"Was it  from a body that one of the dogs had dug up?"
(Surely not!!)
"Was it a muti  warning from a wicked  witch doctor?"
(Eeeeeeeeeek..possible??)
I decided I had to go and retrieve the tooth.
I swallowed the coffee, and  put on my "brave face"!
I slipped on the surgical gloves I had bought to cover the infected toe I had last year (another story) and made myself think  like a forensic scientist/policeman from CSI.
I crept up to  the scene of the 'crime' and  picked up the tooth - eerily clean as I noted.  The owner had brushed his or her  teeth. I was beginning to believe I was a real detetctive by now...
I put it in a Zip Lock bag and brought it into the kitchen.
I was not at all sure what to do next.
Just then Flora came in, from the back yard.
I had a thought!
AHA!!!

"OPEN YOUR MOUTH!!" I said!
She was suitably startled.
"Huh??"

"Flor.. smile for me! A big smile! I want to see your teeth!"
(and I added meekly)
"Please?"
Her eyes blinked.. and then with a slight shake of her head as if to say,
"Crazy white woman  and why is she wearing those GLOVES?"
So she beamed  - or sort of glared at me - flashing intact top teeth.
I sighed.
It was not Flora.s tooth.. so whose WAS it?
"Thanks Flor..."
I turned to walk away. I didn't want to scare her and show her the tooth.
What if she freaked out and left me for good, fearing the owner of the tooth was a dreaded tokolosh?

"Why  did you need me to smile, Gill?"

She was standing, hands on hips, head shaking side to side..
I decided to share my discovery.
"Flor...look what  I found.. on the lawn..."

 I slipped the  white white tooth out of the  Zip Lock bag  and  onto my gloved palm, and showed her.
She stared.
"That's teeth!!" she said finally.
"TOOTH!! ..one tooth..." I said
"I found it.. on the lawn..."

My voice trailed off..
She stared at it, and then looked at me her eyes twinkling.
"You thought  one of my teeth came out so I put it in the garden?"

I shook my head and stammered
"Noooooo... of course not.. I..."

She laughed!

"That FRANK!~"
she hissed at me - finger wagging.

"He was complaining yesterday ALL day.. ow ow owww  "
(she held her jaw in both hands and rocked)

"He pulled his tooth out, I see. But why didn't he throw it in the  rubbish bin?  Hau!!"

And she stomped off, talking to herself in her language.
I sat down and slowly took it all in.
Frank is our weekly gardener. The shiny  white front tooth belonged to Frank - a lovely man, who cared for my plants and trees as if he were their father.
It was Frank's tooth, and not  the remnant of some rotting cadaver! 
 There was no tokolosh..
I can't wait to see him on Thursday and say to him,
 "SMILE!!!!!! I WANT TO SEE YOUR GAP!"