Oh no not railroad tracks !

It was official, by fall of 1975 I would be starting the school year with a mouthful of braces because too many teeth caused irregular growth and severe straightening was required. I am nine and four years meant the day I start my teenhood, first teen birthday would be thirteen on July 25th, I would have a beautiful straight set of teeth. I knew it was necessary but I was devastated. I talked alot, had been getting really good at it by the time I was three and sometimes mom wished she hadn't asked god so many times, 'if she ever going to talk?"

Wrapped up in erica, the little me, cried for a few hours when we got home from the dentist. I had already experienced four teeth pulled, two from each side of my jaw and awaiting the final two up in right sinus and one below cutting into an incisor. Why I needed that many teeth, or that much extra calcium, baffled my dentist but I survived the tooth extractions and prepared myself for braces. I put the radio on to see if there was any music on to cheer me up. A few dumb songs and then a cutesy tune that gave me some hope for the future.

The dentist was not too hip on Shermans' advice but if I did not chew alot, there would be no residual damage. So popping a few bubbles, putting my hair in long curled ponytails on either side, I could of competed with the oldest Brady daughter, Marcia, Marcia, Marcia. We both survived through "oh no not railroad tracks . . .!"