We All Don't Scream For Ice Cream

Well, it has happened. It's taken almost three years, but alas the notorious ice cream man has discovered (and invaded) my development this week. It was a sneak attack too. While I knew one day he would find us, I wasn't expecting it to be THAT day. But you know, that is how the ice cream man works...he comes when you least expect it and it usually is at the wrong time too(say right before you are to eat dinner). He came in with a bang. No - I take that back - he came in with the musical chimes of "Happy Birthday" coming from his truck (or was that a van?) bringing his artillary of nutty buddies, snocones, Spongebob ice creams, Spiderman ice creams, etc...

Day One (Monday, May 15, 2006 approximately 6:46 p.m.)

The first day the ice cream man came around my family were all sitting around on the patio. We were just finishing up dinner. I heard the ice cream man before the boys did. There he was playing his "bait" to lure those pure innocent children to his truck. Filling them with icecream....sugary ice cream....sugary icecream that usually has some sort of candy involved to make the bait more appealing...My palms became sweaty with every minute that the ice cream man's song became louder.

I knew the very second the boys heard the music. I could see their heads perk up and twitch side to side. Their eyes moving back and forth in an uncertain movement. It was just like watching Animal Planet - You know when you see those poor antelope at the watering hole. They are all very careful and unsure to get that drink of water and the minute that they put their heads down for a drink....BAM!...they are the main meal of the lions' potluck dinner. - I pretended I didn't hear the oldest boy ask me, "What's that sound?" After about the third time of him asking I acted dumb and said, "I don't know." I was pleasantly surprised when it was left at that.

However, it didn't take long for the sound of the other kids in the neighborhood cry, "The ice cream man is coming! The ice cream man is coming!" The earth shook. - oh wait that was the sound of all of the doors opening and closing as all of the neighborhood kids ran inside their houses begging and pleading for their parents to buy them ice cream.

Things became fuzzy as I became bombared from both sides.

"Can I have an ice cream?"

"Me too, me too."

"Please."

"Please Mom."

"I want ice cream."

"I want ice cream too."

The memories of my childhood came flashing before my eyes. The vision of a six-year-old me in my Mork and Mindy t-shirt was right before my eyes. I remember how happy I was when my mom bought me an ice cream in the shape of a foot (God, those were good.). What a happy time! Then another memory of me came before me. I was still six, but this time I was wearing a rainbow shirt and I was so sad because my mom didn't buy me an ice cream from the ice cream man. Instead she gave me a dull and boring orange popsicle from our fridge. I was crushed! I didn't want my kids to be crushed too! So I caved and told the boys they could have one.

Day 2 (Tuesday, May 16, 2006, approximately 6:50 p.m.)

The kids were more aware this time and were on the lookout. They heard him from blocks away this time...causing pure pandamonium on our street. The closer the ice cream man got, the more chaotic and frenzied the kids became. All the kids on the block including my own are getting ice cream....again. One parent that lives two blocks over drove his kids to my block for his kids' and his own sanity. Just from the sale of two ice creams alone, I'm sure the ice cream man is paying for a box of ice cream. I think it is robbery for what he is charging, but then I look at the long lines and conclude that I am in the wrong business.

Day 3 (Wednesday, May 17, 2006, approximately 7:15 p.m.)

The ice cream man was late. The parents - including myself - had a ray of light in the hope that maybe he wouldn't come. However, all light was dimmed as soon as the ice cream man's battle cry was heard. There were fewer kids this time, but he still did good business. And, yes, I did buy my kids ice cream....again...

Day 4 (Thursday, May 18, 2006, approximatelly 6:48 p.m.)

He is back at his regularly scheduled time. I noticed that some parents took their kids for a drive during that time, probably in the hopes to avoid the ice cream man. He still has a good fanbase in the kids and still does pretty good business. My boys did get ice cream, but with grandma's money.

In Conclusion...
Will the ice cream man come again today? Probably. Will he still do good business? I'm pretty sure he will. Will my boys have ice cream? Yes, but it won't be from the ice cream man. We have some perfectly good push-ups in the freezer. Will they be crushed? Most likely they will, but you know what? They will get over it - just like I did.