Curator from Solihull Grits Teeth and Quits

Dear Bob

It is with both regret and sadness that I proffer my resignation to you today.

I have been thinking about this a lot and hope that you can digest the news with a measure of equanimity. Ever since our budget was eaten up last summer, I realise it has become more and more difficult to make ends meet. I tried to remain philosophical and optimistic about things.

However, having chewed over the problem, I knew that sooner or later you were you going to have to make some tough decisions to balance the books. I know you won't say it but maybe I was losing my cutting edge anyway and that perhaps, it was time for me to move on. By resigning now, I hope that there is enough money in the kitty to ensure that our rare collection of authentic Koala teeth dating from 1944, can still be polished regularly and kept in good working order.

Of course, keeping all of the pieces together in one place always enhances the value of any collection. So, I have also decided to give you back the two baby-koala incisors that you kindly fashioned into a necklace and presented me with in 1996 after 40 years of service. It is a bit of a wrench to give them up but I know it's all in a good cause.

Finally, I should mention that I've decided to emigrate and join my nephew in Alice Springs. You have often heard me speak of him - he runs the orthodontist clinic there which caters, at this time, for humans only. I hope to find him some marsupial clients while I'm out there and see some original specimens in their natural habitat.

It's been great knowing you Bob and I shall miss the old place. Try not to worry about next year's expenditure too much. It's about time our old friend the tooth fairy visited us again.

Kind regards,