One day Ralphie said, “Lookie Linda.” And I looked. His jaws closed tight . . . a number 2 yellow pencil between the gap of his clinched teeth. His lips pulled back. Walking around like that . . . one walrus fang showing that something wasn’t right . . . his teeth to stick out like that. And when dad come home, Ralphie put the pencil in and made the announcement again . . . “I need braces.” Dad stopped what he was doin’, he looked at Ralphie real mean and then just growled, “Shit.”