Camerella swung the diner door open and skipped cheerfully in. She had decided a long time ago that a good breakfast, after a week of long night shifts, was the perfect way to transition into the weekend.<\/p>\n
She took her normal stool at the counter and smiled at the unfamiliar face that greeted her.<\/p>\n
\u201cHi, I\u2019m Camerella. You\u2019re new here, right? Welcome!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHi, I\u2019m Sally. This is my third day,\u201d she smiled broadly. \u201cI\u2019m very happy to meet you. I understand you\u2019re the Tooth Fairy? That must be a wonderful job!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a tooth fairy, there\u2019s a whole crew of us. And yes, it\u2019s a wonderful job, a bit lonely now and then, but I get to spread happiness. Truth be told, children\u2019s pillows can be a bit grimy, and a bag full of coins can be quite heavy. But the bag gets lighter as you trade out for teeth. Oh, listen to me complaining!\u201d<\/p>\n
She smoothed out her lacy, standard-issue uniform and took a deep breath. She nodded as she reminded herself of her prestigious position. \u201cI am very fortunate to have such an enchanted job. I know I\u2019m very lucky. I\u2019ll have the usual, please. Al back there knows, just tell him it\u2019s for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRight way! Hey, Al!\u201d Sally turned to the kitchen with gee-whiz in her voice, feeling the rush that comes with meeting a celebrity. Al and the older crew had accepted Camerella outside of her celebrity status, and knew she was just like them: hard-working, dedicated, and punctual. Besides, she tipped really well.<\/p>\n
Her meal came quickly, for Al prided himself on having it ready for her as soon as she walked in.<\/p>\n
The door opened again, and a rather disheveled young lady trudged in. Sally noted that in most particulars, she looked just like Camerella, down to the same style of dress. But she was a very drenched and sad Camerella. Sally looked past the awnings up into the sky. There were no storm clouds, but this fairy appeared to have been caught in a torrential downpour.<\/p>\n
She dragged her feet to the counter and took a stool next to her colleague. Camerella leaned towards her. \u201cTough night, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u201d she answered, with a downturned smile. \u201cBut aren\u2019t they all? I know I complain about it all the time, I\u2019m sorry.\u201d She paused to wring some water out of her hem.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was all over the map tonight, in some really inconvenient places. An alleyway behind a bar, a stadium, a shopping mall. Public places are really the worst. I\u2019d much rather pick up at a farm, you know, fly along the fencerow like a true fairy should, dig around a little behind the barn. I don\u2019t get to pick up at homes much, like you do. While you\u2019re diving under fluffy little pillows I\u2019m plunging into god knows what.\u201d<\/p>\n
Camerella gave her friend a pat on the shoulder and a sympathetic look. \u201cThat kinda shift, I see.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, bus station. The worst of the worst. And where do you leave the quarter in a place like that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cStill a quarter?\u201d Camerella stirred her tea. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Sally watching from the farthest end of the counter. She seemed confused and slightly nauseous.<\/p>\n
\u201cStill a quarter. You know, we don\u2019t get the big publicity you ladies do. And there\u2019s not really an aftermarket to bring in revenue. You guys can sell the teeth to Vikings to use for good luck charms, to churches to put in their reliquaries, or even to voodoo shops down south. But no one really wants the little trinkets we collect.\u201d<\/p>\n
She shook her head despondently. \u201cSo I have a very tight budget to manage. Sometimes, I hate to admit this, but I\u2019ll go back the next night and reclaim the quarter. I know that sounds cheap but I\u2019ve seen them lie there for weeks without anyone picking them up. We\u2019re told just like you, leave the quarter exactly where we pick up. But I have to leave quarters in some really strange places, and who is going to even notice? By the way, any openings in your department?\u201d<\/p>\n
Camerella shook her head. \u201cNo, sorry to say. We thought Cuspia was going to retire\u2014she\u2019s a bit long in the tooth if you don\u2019t mind my saying!\u201d She laughed at her impolite joke. \u201cOh, I shouldn\u2019t say that! But anyway, Cuspia isn\u2019t ready to hang up her wings yet, and we haven\u2019t a single opening.\u201d<\/p>\n
Al rang the service bell and snapped Sally out of her trance. She delivered the morning\u2019s special to her newest customer and busied herself with the coffee maker.<\/p>\n
The drenched fairy gulped down her food quickly. \u201cWell, Camerella, nice to see you again. I gotta go, I really need a shower. That bus station was horribly maintained. You\u2019re off tomorrow, right? Well, have a good weekend!\u201d<\/p>\n
She plopped a pile of quarters on the counter. \u201cKeep the change!\u201d she said as she exited onto the street.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you!\u201d Sally called as she came back over to the counter. She scooped the quarters across the counter and into the pocket of her apron. She looked inquisitively at Camerella.<\/p>\n
\u201cUm\u2026\u201d she began, not sure what to ask.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have multiple departments,\u201d Camerella began explaining. \u201cWe don\u2019t pick up only teeth. There\u2019s a group that does appendixes, one that handles tonsils, and various other divisions.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh,\u201d said Sally, still somewhat confused. \u201cAnd her, what group is she with?\u201d<\/p>\n
Camerella frowned compassionately. \u201cOh, poor Urina, her group is in charge of kidney stones.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Camerella swung the diner door open and skipped cheerfully in. She had decided a long time ago that a good breakfast, after a week of…<\/p>\n