I know running after the ice cream truck in the summertime is supposed to be a wonderful childhood memory... but I just can't seem to embrace the tradition for my kids. I actually find the whole scene disturbing. The eery, tinkly melody. The extraordinarily slow driving by the creepy driver. The decrepit nature of the truck...
As one rolled down the street the other evening, I imagined what Max and Alex will say when they reminisce about their ice cream truck experience in the future. Unfortunately, I think it'll go something like this:
M: Do you remember when the ice cream truck would come down the street in the summer?
A: Ya. We were so excited to hear that music! We'd be staring out the windows with our noses pressed against the glass... trying not to lose sight of it.
M: And we'd beg for money to go out and get something, but Mom would never give us any.
A: Or even let us out of the house.
M: She was completely convinced the driver was some child predator stalking the neighborhood.
A: She's such a freak.
M: I know.
A: Then we had to just watch it drive away.
M: That sucked.
A: Ya. It did.
2 comments:
My children will have a very similar conversation except the part about the predator will be replaced with my refusal to spend $3/ea. on popsicles shaped like Spongebob.
As a kid I always dreamed about how wonderful it would be to grow-up in a city where there is an ice-cream truck. How lucky those children were to have such a luxury. That haunting melody brought joy and envy. But as an adult I cringe and hope to god the kid doesn't hear it.
Mine will have the same conversation with yours. We once stopped the truck over near city park and I forked out the $4 for a popsicle, but she will remember it forever as something we "always" did. Poor kids.
Post a Comment