Last night, we were eating at a local restaurant when a magician came around to our table. The restaurant was loud and I think Lily had some trouble hearing what he was saying. She was playing shy and not really sure what to make of him. He asked her name and age and started through his magic act. She watched him skeptically at first, then slowly started getting sucked into his illusions as he amazed her with disappearing and reappearing sponge stars.
As he wrapped up, he gave her an invisible star to take home and put under her pillow so it would turn into a nickel. She carefully sat the invisible star on the table so she could finish her meal. She would talk to it every once in a while, picking it up and putting it down. When we were ready to leave, she then carefully picked it up and brought it home.
I walked into her room this morning to wake her up, and she was sitting in her bed looking forlorn. “There’s no nickel.”
“Maybe it will turn up,” I replied as panic set in. Who really wants to ruin a kids magic? Certainly not I! She is at that age where she still believes in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, leprechauns, unicorns, mythical creatures. I want that to last as long as possible. A childhood that has that magic is one to be treasured.
As she went to shower, I went to find a nickel. As a parent, you have to be creative when these situations arise. I went up to her room, nickel in hand, pondering how I was going to make it work.
Ah ha! Tooth fairy pillow saves the day! I grabbed it off of her nightstand and shoved the nickel in the little tooth case that it held.
Off I went to find her carrying the little tooth fairy pillow. “Did you check in here?”, I asked her freshly washed soggy haired face.
“Oh!” She exclaimed, grabbed the pillow from my hand and shook it. Her eyes lit up when she heard the coin rattling around. She fumbled around in her excitement to get the case open. “It’s a nickel!!” Wonder and awe in her voice and all over her face. “How did it get in there?”
“Magic”, I stated.