I recently took a short trip that included a two-night stay in a hotel with my parents.
Without giving away too much personal information, they’re in their mid-eighties and in pretty great shape.
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When taking roadtrips, such as this one, I have a tendency to take everything I might possibly want or need.
Some folks (like my husband) might call this overpacking. But I don’t overpack clothes and shoes. I take along things to fill my time such as books, watercolors and knitting. All of which can be too much.
For my toiletries, however, I have an efficient, cute, white, zip up cylindrical bag with a handle. It’s filled with all the things I might need, like mini, reusable bottles of shampoo, conditioner, lotions and other potions. I also keep a first aid kit and make-up remover wipes in there, and my travel toothbrush and toothpaste, so I can grab this bag and go.
When getting ready for bed, I took the bag with me into the bathroom.
I pulled back my hair and washed my face. Next, I reached for my toothbrush. It was nary to be found. Digging around yielded no bounty. So I dug around again, in case I missed it.
I went to my suitcase, in case my toothbrush had fallen out.
My mother asked, “What are you looking for?”
“My toothbrush.”
“I may have an extra,” she says to me. Then, to my dad, “Gerald, do you have an extra toothbrush?”
I say, “it’s okay. Mine’s probably in here.”
My dad’s in the middle of God-knows-what. But he drops it. “I’m sure I do, let me go look.”
I’ve learned it’s best to let them do what they do, so I continue rifling through my suitcase.
From the bathroom, he announces, “got it!”
I think, oh good. I return the heap of my clothes to my suitcase and head back to the bathroom. He’s on his way out with a small package in his hand.
“I don’t have a regular toothbrush, but these should work.”
He hands me this…
Now, my dad’s not someone you’d expect to have a 20 pack of mascara wands. For crap sake, he played football when “helmets” were made of leather and there was no such thing as face masks.
“Is this what you use to brush your teeth?” I ask, trying not to sound judgy or concerned that they were still living on their own.
“No, I have them, just in case.”
I show my mother. “What do you know about this?”
She takes the 20 pack. “Oh, those are mine.”
This makes me feel a little better. She, for one, uses mascara. Though I’ve never known her to use disposable wands. She goes on to explain to my father that these are not toothbrushes and why does he have them.
I take the package from my mom and thank my dad.
Trying Something New
Too lazy to go the seven floors down to the front desk, I decided to try one of these “toothbrushes”.
I will say it worked surprisingly well.
The handle was a little flimsy, but the small, pointy brush easily targeted some hard to reach places.
New “Toothbrush” Conclusion
Upon returning to the conversation with freshly brushed teeth, I was informed they remembered buying the little brushes so my dad could clean his electric razor.
Phew
