Dental Floss

I often wonder if I am the only one who had a crazy upbringing. I know that can’t be true because the world is crazy but the stories that pop into my head from memories of crazy times make me think I was insane or something.

We recently ran out of Dental Floss and since we were at Target, Dan mentioned picking some up. We walked to the floss section and once I saw the options I panicked and kept walking leaving Dan to pick the floss. I typically buy the Floss pack at Costco but this week hadn’t gone yet. When the time came to brush, Dan mentioned that the floss was bad and it wasn’t the kind I typically buy. I was like huh and tried it and then read the label and saw that it was satin floss. Dan began laughing and I was like what and he said, “remember that story about your dad and the floss?” And just like that the memory flooded back.

When I was growing up, the city was littered with corner stores and of course we had one at the end of our block. I wasn’t allowed to go out to play but to run errands for my Dad I was allowed a little freedom. One day he asked me to get him floss. I was like ok easy. NO!!!! And looking back I should have known it was never easy with my Dad. I think he had a lot of undiagnosed mental problems and that with his alcohol addiction always led to a perfect storm. Anyways, I come back with his floss and when he went to open it and use it, he flipped his lid. See, I didn’t realize I bought Satin Floss. BIG MISTAKE! He threw that thing right at my head and I had a huge welt for days. He yelled at me that why didn’t I read it, why didn’t I see that it said Satin and not wax like he specifically asked me, he went on and on how even though I was born in this country I still couldn’t even read basic English. I mean who gets that crazy over dental floss?! My dad that’s who. He was furious over something so minor. The worst part for me and even worse that I had a welt on my head was that he took away my $0.50 allowance for weeks until he finished up the floss and that was brutal. That meant no candy for weeks!!!!! At the time candy bars costs $0.50/$0.25, Air Heads were $0.10, little bags of chips were $0.25, and my beloved Rain Blo pack was $0.10, ugh it was awful not being able to get anything and having to beg my brothers for any loose change and dig through couches and the car for anything.

My mom and dad argued that night and I remember my dad saying why didn’t I just come back and ask if he wanted that floss and not waste money. I guess returns weren’t big because that wasn’t an option and neither was exchanging it. He kept saying that I had a voice yet I never used it, I should have just asked the right questions, I should have made sure he wanted that floss. I mean he just wouldn’t let it go. Mind you I was like 8 years old, I didn’t know.

Moving forward if my dad ever asked me for something, I had a pen and paper and made sure to cross reference anything. If they don’t have it, what do you want instead? What is an ok substitute for whatever it was? Should I come back home if they have something similar but it isn’t exactly what you said? It was crazy but it did set me up for life. To this day if I don’t understand the slightest thing I immediately ask for clarification and specifics. I was that annoying person in class to shoot my hand up as soon as an assignment was given to ask the teacher again to reiterate what they just said because I did’t want to make a mistake. I ask a million questions for the most basic thing all because of Dental Floss.

I finally bought the package at Costco and Dan mentioned how it doesn’t say wax anywhere on the package so if I were getting this for my dad what would I have done and immediately I said, I would ask an employee, then google, then ask the Costco Fans FB page for help, then call Oral B, and while waiting on the line I would email to ask them and hit up their social medias. I mean it’s just natural now to think of various solutions right away thanks to my dad.

I can laugh about it all now because so many years have gone by and as I get older with my own kids I understand my Dad way more. I resented him for so long but happy before his death I was able to forgive and move on. He wasn’t the best dad by any means but he was the best grandpa I could have ever hoped for my kids.