April 30. 11am. “Are you not well, Button?”

“I have a really bad toothache.”

“Again?”

“Let’s not try any home remedies this time. I’ll take you to the dentist.”

“I don’t like going to a dentist. He’ll extract the tooth.”

“Let him check it out. Maybe your wisdom tooth is coming out.”

“What’s a wisdom tooth? Does one become wise once it erupts?”

“I don’t know about the wisdom bit but all of us have gone through the agony of an emerging wisdom tooth which every dentist wants to extract.”

“That is exactly what I am scared about. Please don’t take me to the dentist. I promise I’ll brush and floss my teeth every night.”

“A toothache can get very nasty. I’ll make sure he doesn’t extract any of your teeth.”

11.30pm:

“So it’s not a wisdom tooth. That particular tooth has rotted because you eat too many chocolates. The doctor will have to extract the tooth at some stage.”

“I won’t eat chocolates. Will he then not pull out that tooth?”

“That tooth has become black, Button. It will have to be pulled out at some stage. Now go to bed and don’t stress. The pills will take care of the ache.”