nanna told me I was found under 

a bush and kept a straight face,

and even though I thought it was

a fib, I couldn't bring myself to say.

 

then Mum told me about the tooth fairy

and I was fooled two times after I found

a sixpence under my pillow in the morning.

 

but next time I stayed awake counting sheep

'til my eyes hurt and when the door opened 

and someone came in, even I knew that fairies 

don't smell of ciggies like Dad did.

 

now I had a very big secret like the children

in the Enid Blyton book and I decided to keep

it because having sixpences was better than 

telling Mum and Dad about their fibs.

 

it wasn't until I was 11, when my little brother 

was staying at a friend's house after Christmas

and nanna had just died in hospital, that I knew

it was time to tell them.

 

they looked at each other and laughed and 

laughed when I said I knew there is no such 

thing as Santa Claus. Then they squeezed me 

tight and said I was growing up fast. So I laughed

too. But I didn't tell my younger brother because 

he wasn't old enough to keep secrets.