Theboythenfurtivelynudgedtheshakytoothwithhistongueandasked,perplexed,“Howcanthetonguetiltthetooth?Thetoothishard,butthetongueissosoft.Howcanasoftthingbendahardthing?”
Thefathershothimanangryglareandreplied,“Ofcourse,itcan.Throughoutyourlife,yougrowteethtwice.Butwhenyougetold,youloseallofthem.Haveyouseenanyonelosetheirtonguewithage?”
HisMaalsokeptremindinghim,“Remember,alostlowertoothshouldbethrownontotheroof,whilealooseneduppertoothshouldbetossedunderthebed.Youcan’tdotheopposite,orthenewtoothwillbeeitherabucktoothoranunder-bite.Veryugly.”Theboywaschilledbythesewords.Bothbucktoothandunder-bitehehadseeninmovies.Withsuchlooks,anactorcouldonlyplayabuffoon.Thatwouldbeterrible!Hedecidedtorememberthis,despiteitsintricacy.
However,theboy’selderbrotherdidnotwantalooseneduppertoothunderthebed,andscaredhimwiththewords,“Ifyouthrowitunderthebed,thetoothmightrootthereandgrow.Howwouldyoudealwiththat?Itmightbesafertoburythetoothbeneathatree.”Withthisnewideainmind,theboyfelthappy,totallyobliviousofhisbrotherdoublingoverwithlaughterbehindhim.
Throwingthelowertoothontotheroofturnedouttobeprettychallenging.Withoutanygrassonthetiledroof,thetoothrolleddowntothegroundagain.Whenthathappened,theboy’sgumsseemedtoacheaswell.Afterseveraltries,hefinallydidit.But,whoknewwhetherthetoothhadwithlucklodgedinatile,orrolleddowntothegrassclusterinthebackyard.
Thegapwheretheloosetoothoncewasfeltsostrange.Itwassoft,andempty.Dayslater,thatlittleholesproutedabud-likenewtooth.Thiswasamazing.
Unabletoresisttheimpulse,helickedit,toseehowitwouldrespond,andthenagain.Thenewtoothseemedtobebudding.Unconsciouslyhelickeditmanytimes.Oh,damn!Themostdisgustingbucktoothemerged.Thenwithonequiver,theboywokeup.
Duringthoseteeth-changingdays,dreamsalsobecameregularvisitors.Fortunatelynightmareswereintheminority.Themostfrequentlyrecurringdreamwasaboutstealingafatgreasygrilledchickenfromadeli,andjusttakingonebiteofit,beforehewasspotted;thenacrowdofpeoplewouldchasehimwithsticksandknives.Despitehishaste,hefoundhejustcouldnotspeedup.Crap!Awallwouldappearinfrontofhim.Wherewashisqing-gong(aformofgongfuforflyingandjumpinghigh)?Histerrorthenwokehimfromthedream,andhefoundhislegshadcurledupwhilesleeping,whichwaswhyhecouldnotrunfastorflyinthedream.
Stretchingoutinbed,hethenslippedbackintohisdream.Lightasaswallow,heflewoverwallsandtreesandlightlylandedonthebranchofanoldtree.Slowlyenjoyingthetastychicken,whilelookingintotheblueskiesandwhiteclouds,andgreengrassesafar,hefelt,evenifitwasonlyadream,ithadtobethesweetestdreamintheworld...
Bang!Afingertappedloudlyonhisforehead.Howcouldhismathteachersuddenlyappearinfrontofhimwithamockingsmile?Thenlaughterrockedtheclassroom.Whowerethosestrangegirls,laughingwhileblushing?Dazedandashamed,heloweredhisheadtofindhisdroolinghadmadeahugewetpatchonhisclothes.
Gradually,hisdreamsfadedaway.Butthenanewscenariounfoldedonemidnight,whenheawoketothepainofacrampinhisleg,whichmadehimcryout.BothhisDadandMawereawakened,andcametosoothehimwithsmiles,“Don’tworry.Thosearejustgrowingpains.Youneedsomebonesouptosupplementyourcalcium.”
Withnowayout,hehadtojustendurethepain.Afterall,itwasagoodthingtogrowtaller.Itmeanthewouldsoonbeabletoscoreeasilyatbasketballandgotomiddleschool.Andonepracticalbenefitwashewouldbeabletoreplacetheolduglypairofpantshandeddownfromhisbrother.HisMahadnevermentionedbuyinganewpairforhim.
Finallythedaycame.Onemorning,hewasdressingwithhalfshuteyes,whenhesuddenlyfoundhispantsweretooshort,thebottomsabovehisankles.Asurgeofelationsweptthroughhim.Thenheshouted:“Ma,Ma,mypantshavegottooshort!”
Uponseeingthis,hisMasmiled.Whiletryingtoadjustthepants,sheexclaimed,“Youreallyaregrowingup.”Aftersayingthis,shesmiledagain.
Exhilarated,hewentbacktobed,wondering,maybehisMahadalreadygothimanewpairofpants,justwaitingforthisday.Howmanypocketswouldithave?Ofcourse,themore,thebetter.Forhiscards,slingshot,smallchange,andmarbles,atleastfourpocketswouldbeneeded.
Afterwaitingalongwhile,hisMafinallyreturned,andsaidsmiling,“Comeherewithyourpants.I’llunfoldthehems.Justtomakedo.I’llsewnewpantsforyounextyear.”
Uponseeingthedistinctivecolorofthehem,theboy’searlierdelightimmediatelyevaporated.
GONGGAOFENGisacolumnist.