Well, for those of you who aren't really that interested in life in Boston, I am sorry that this is the 2nd post in a row about Boston. You'll just have to try to bear with me. You see, my city sleeps through the winter months and comes awake with Spring (which is slowly making it's appearance around here). There are a few yearly happenings that act as an alarm clock to those of us who don't venture out much when the weather is too cold during winter.
The first is mentioned in my last post...Red Sox opening day.
Next is the sweet, although synthesized sound of childhood songs blaring from none other than....the Ice Cream Truck! That's right, the ice cream trucks are out and that means it's time to put on flip flops and get ready, because warmer weather is around the corner. (A side note...the sight of people in flip flops while the thermometer is still reading lower 50's for the high is not unusual around here.)
It's kind of hard to understand the magic and mystery (I'll get to that in a minute) of the Ice Cream Truck unless you've experienced it. At the beginning of the season it's a welcome sound, signaling happy thoughts about childhood and imagining children running toward it with dollar bills in hand. I think ice cream has gone up since my day, but I am pretty sure you can still buy a Drumstick or Fudgesicle. Now, toward the end of summer when you've heard, "She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain" accompanied by a psychodelic synthesized child laugh and clapping for the 1,000th time it can drive you batty! But, for now it's a welcome reminder of things to come.
Now about the mystery. My former roommates and I have an idea that the Ice Cream Truck sells more than ice cream, if you know what I mean. I mean, when it's 11:30 at night and the ice cream truck is circling the neighborhood you kind of start to wonder what else they are selling alongside Nutty Bars. More than once I have witnessed the Truck speeding by our house late into the night blaring it's music and from looking at the guy behind the wheel I seriously doubt he is delivering ice cream sandwiches to a children's party down the street. You can use your imagination to think of what else they might want to sell on our urban streets at midnight.
So, today as I was sitting at my dining room table in the quiet of the afternoon (Ericito was asleep) the familiar sound of "It's a Small World" put a smile on my face. Ah...the Ice Cream Truck.
