A Reason To Smile

I was born with cleft lip and palate. I had weak teeth from the day I had a tooth. When I was sixteen, I got in a fight with a man of twenty-three who sank his fist into my face and knocked all of my teeth loose.

I have been told several times that false teeth are not an option, and they would have to break and reset my jaw due to an underbite, then reopen my gums and bolt new teeth to my jawbone. That’s two more surgeries at least. I have had at least twelve already on my face.

I am now thirty-three, soon to be thirty-four, so I have lived half my life with no teeth, using my tongue to push food against my gums to eat. I have a job at a nationwide pharmacy at the front of the store.

 One day, a man I have waited on for over a year comes in. Let’s call him Ricky.

Me: “Hi, welcome to [Store]. How can I help you?”

Ricky: “I’m ready to check out.”

Me: *Scanning items.* “Do you have our rewards card?”

Ricky: “What happened to your teeth?”

Me: “Well, I was born with cleft lip and palate, so I had weak teeth all my life. When I was sixteen, a guy knocked them loose in a fight. The dentists back home say I can’t get dentures because of cleft palate, and surgically screwing teeth to my jawbone was something I really didn’t wanna do.”

Ricky: “Come by my office.” *Writes down address.* “I’ll make you teeth.”

Me: “Yeah, I don’t have the funds or insurance for that. Thanks anyway.”

Ricky: “No, no, you don’t understand. If teeth can be made for you, I will make them and charge you nothing. For free, my friend, you need teeth.”

Me: *Fighting back tears.* “I’ll be there in two days, as that’s my day off. Your total is [total]. Have a great day.”

I had to call line assistance and went to the break room to cry tears of joy and call my wife. As I write this, I’m two appointments away from my teeth, and they said they are trying to get my teeth to me before my birthday in two weeks.