Finding it was unexpected; he had forgotten it still existed and was taken aback by the power it still holds on him…
A simple toothbrush, a plain boring useless one … but to him it used to be much more than that.
Brown, cheap, made out of plastic, a fake ergonomic left-handed version that didn’t fit his hand and the depression of his thumb as many of the really good ones do. He had to keep repositioning the toothbrush in his hands every time he changed from brushing one side of his mouth to the other, so as to reach all the surfaces of his teeth.
The dilemmas he used to have every time he used this toothbrush: Do I go against the handle shape or do I rotate my grip on the handle… That was the “question”!
A simple toothbrush, a plain boring useless one … but to him it used to be much more than that.
Brown, cheap, made out of plastic, a fake ergonomic left-handed version that didn’t fit his hand and the depression of his thumb as many of the really good ones do. He had to keep repositioning the toothbrush in his hands every time he changed from brushing one side of his mouth to the other, so as to reach all the surfaces of his teeth.
The dilemmas he used to have every time he used this toothbrush: Do I go against the handle shape or do I rotate my grip on the handle… That was the “question”!
The damn toothbrush didn’t have any advantage over others. It wasn’t even small enough when compared with the conventional ones, his mouth was small so he usually found it uncomfortable to use big brushes when brushing his molars.
With resentment he remembers very well how happy he was the day he bought this toothbrush, the advertisement and the sales person bewitched him with awesome promises: “Super-smile 45° Ergonomic Toothbrush” – Brush your teeth at the proper angle without bogus bells and whistles! “Ha, ha, ha, haaaaa…” Is his answer to all those lies, none of what was promised was true; the toothbrush was everything but that! – Bitterness fills his mouth, so he swallows the saliva with difficulty and annoyance.
After a few seconds he smiles, joyfully enjoying his revenge… he found a new love… just a hundred meters away from his flat… at the local supermarket. Just in time to guarantee the greatest, healthiest and brightest smiles a ship’s Captain of his category should have. So, the day he boarded his ship he did it with pride and stature, showing everybody his best smile. Life has been great ever since; the last two weeks were amazing, no disappointments or regrets of any type. Now he is at peace and fulfilled, smiling all the way, felling fresh and clean. No more hand position dilemmas, no more thumb unfitting troubles! Life was good again…
His new brush was designed for comfortable brushing with soft multi-level bristles. This one has a rounded-end, polished bristles specifically designed to protect the enamel and gums. The curved bristles fitted perfectly the contours of his teeth and its small head reached effectively all the hard-to –reach places. It also has a non-slip rubber grip that kept the brush snug in his hand for better control.
Life was indeed good again!
With determination and without hesitation he grabs the damn toothbrush and then, almost violently he opens the head’s porthole … after a small hesitant pause – to enjoy the moment – he throws the brush as far as his strong arm lets him. With joy he observes the brush disappearing in the Atlantic Ocean, with the certainty that this was the very last time he was going to see the damn toothbrush…
A wild smile illuminates his dark eyes when he turns back to the sink where his new love is awaiting for him. With tenderness he grabs his new toothbrush and with perfect precision he places the exact right amount of toothpaste required for a perfect tooth brushing.
Life is indeed good again…
© 2010 Gabriela Abalo
24 comments:
Great story, so hard to let go of the past and embrace the new -- ah the title of your blog - embracing who we are....that includes the objects in our life also.....blessings...bkm
Great story Gabi. Left handed toothbrushes, Who knew?
This is a wonderfully charming story and a true delight to read. You've touched upon such an innately human aspect of life, how even the simplest objects of day-to-day reality can have a big impact on our happiness. A marvellous idea indeed, suffused into your excellent writing :)
giving something up can be so hard and so liberating.
A lovely story Gabi. A beautiful Magpie. :-)
A great story. Well done.
life is good when you can let go of the past.
A left-handed tooth brush? Hmmmm. My Hubbs just bought a wrist watch made for lefties. He's not even left-handed. Long story...
That is so often how memory works, floods of feeling from one item, one sound, one scent. Inanimate objects do hold life. You have just proven that!
Bkm: thanks for stopping by. Yeph… we do hold into the past and material things, as if we can’t exist without them… but that is who we are ;)
Leenah: Glad to know life is good over there too! Life is made of small and big things; everything counts even the things that appear to be unimportant.
Tag: Glad to see you by the blog. Life is full of surprises… even left handed people have their own type of toothbrush.
Sam: thanks for your very encouraging comment. Life is really simple, we are the ones who complicate it!
Ed: I don’t know why we like to keep attached to things that are not good to us. It’s as if we enjoy the drama those things bring to our life. Letting go is liberating and opens the door to wonderful new things.
Carrie: Welcome and thank you for stopping by the blog.
Nana: life is good indeed… letting go is the key to happiness and fulfillment.
Coco: hmmmm, can’t stop wondering why your hubby bought the lefties watch… maybe he wants to understand how left-handed feel in a right handed world… nice ;)
Annie: we have that unhealthy habit of holding onto inanimate objects as if our own life depends on them. As if they are part and parcel of who we are… such is the paradox of human nature.
loveNlight
Gabi
Great little story you told here.
We've come a long way in designing the toothbrush ~ so many underestimate the importance of a 'good fit.' Nice writing.
I love a good toothbrush myself :)!
I've really noticed you opening up as a writer.
Very creative and well-written.
Ah letting go
even of things we hate
so hard to do sometimes
but yes, liberating
and actually looking back..
so easy
very nice magpie
A fun read. The little things in life mean a lot.
hmmmm......holding on versus letting go and being liberated -
i vote liberation every time!
beautiful piece, gabi!!
ha. a good toothbrush makes all the difference..and out with the old in with the new...new memories to be made. nice magpie!
Oh, yes, life is so much better when parts of it are perfect! Great write!
Thank you Stan for stopping by.
Helen: a good fit sometimes is a matter of dead and life
She Writes: thank you for stopping by. Good toothbrushes are a must! ;)
Kass: Thank you my dear friend for your encouragement!
Suz: getting attached is easy, letting go not that easy… Thanks for stopping by.
June: So nice to see you around. Our life is made out of the little things; even a toothbrush can make a big difference.
Gypsywoman: voting for liberation too!! Thanks for stopping by.
Brian: thanks for stopping by. Writing this piece was really fun.
Tumblewords: we do need a bit of perfection to make us feel content…
loveNlight
Gabi
a simple toothbrush=a great story!
Enjoyed your Magpie!
There's nothing like a good toothbrush. Great story.
A lover of toothbrushes has to be suspect, or maybe not.
rel
Well written story. I enjoyed it. But, seriously? This guy has got to get a life!
Kathew: welcome to the blog. It’s great to know you like the story.
Willow: Thanks for the encouraging comment.
Rel: hmmmm… I kind of agree with you! Thanks for stopping by.
PattiKen: so true, he needs to get a life! Thanks for making me laugh.
Welcome to the blog
loveNlight
Gabi
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