Michael took another oblong bundle of paper out of a box labeled Hutch and unrolled the mound until the prize inside laid in his hand. He held a wood box with a hinged lid that had been tied securely with string. He handed it to Tessa.
With a look of wonderment, she undid the string, opened it and lifted out an Altoid box labeled with her son’s name. She shook it to hear the familiar rattle before opening it to show Michael the contents. “Brent’s baby teeth.”
“Parents save those?”
“Of course. I’ll bet your Mom has yours.”
Written in response to Charli Mills January 2, 2019, prompt at Carrot Ranch Literary: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about something found in a hutch. It can be any kind of hutch — a box for critters or a chest for dishes. Go where the prompt leads!
Note: when the US military reassigns a member, his/her belongings are packed by a professional packing company and moved by that company. To minimize breakage items are often wrapped in 5 or 6 sheets of packing paper.
01/08/2020 at 00:48
I hadn’t thought of the safe box being loaded with triggers. You craft the emotion of it so well in your second flash. Your first one reminds me of a crazy time when I helped my friend pack up her parents’ house after her dad passed and we kept finding teeth!
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01/08/2020 at 07:10
My kids think it’s weird I have theirs. I have seen police shows that they are useful for DNA identification.
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01/08/2020 at 10:23
I have my kids’. I’ll gift them as a tree garland or somesuch for their wedding. 😉
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01/08/2020 at 13:15
This is a great piece, Susan. I must admit, I never saved my children’s teeth. I find them rather revolting.
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01/09/2020 at 21:54
PARENTS SAVE BABY TEETH!?
Oh no this is a nightmare
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01/13/2020 at 10:52
I’ll bet someone in your family has done just that. Ask.
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01/13/2020 at 11:30
I am afraid, but I’ll ask!
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01/13/2020 at 12:29
Not all parents, H. I personally found them horrible and threw them away.
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01/14/2020 at 14:13
Good on you
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