I dreamt my tooth was loose. I've dreamed such dreams throughout much of my life. So far I've always awoken relieved to find my teeth still firmly rooted in my mouth. But this dream was different. Only one tooth was about to fall out, and it was one of my front side teeth. When I smiled it showed. What follows is almost funny. You know how fingers always want to touch and wriggle things they ought not to? It was all I could do to keep my fingers out of my mouth. I would not help this tooth come free. In fact, I would pretend it was alright. And then it would be. I couldn't lose it. I needed it. Maybe if I needed it enough, it would be fine... No such luck. It fell out. I thought, "Maybe I can put it back in!" But it broke into many chunks, larger than the tooth ever could have been. I panicked. I would not be able to live if I could not smile. How could anyone? One had to smile. They would die without happiness, wouldn't they? I held...