The toothless ones from Walnut Street, Casey Street, and other streets throughout Norwood formed what seemed to be an eternal procession to the Music Nook, 707 Washington Street, over this past weekend.
Irving Gutland, proprietor, who last Thursday advertised that he would give free copies of the record, “All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth,” to the first 25 children coming to his store without teeth, said that Norwood boasts an overwhelming number of children whose teeth are missing. Within twenty-four hours the 25 records were gone. But still, the children came to show Irving that “‘There they are – they ain’t.”
“It was a positive riot,” Mr. Gutland said.
The first to claim a free record was William Wall of 1 Casey Street, “one of the littlest boys in Norwood.” “He didn’t say a word,” said Gutland, “just opened his mouth in a toothless grin.” Throughout Saturday children came in For the records. Most of them came alone. One child seemed to have about eight teeth missing. They even explained to us what had caused the mishap. Some had been playing football, others skating when they accidentally lost the teeth. The littler ones didn’t say much; just opened their mouths.”
One Norwood merchant, whose store is near the Music Nook, joined the procession and tried without success to get a recording of the nation’s No. 1 hit tune. He had removed his upper plate. The Music Nook personnel felt that even two front teeth wouldn’t have improved the situation very much.
(All articles originally published in the Norwood Messenger)