Who wouldn't love an icy cold, sweet snowcone on a warm spring/summer evening? Perhaps you're one of those people who couldn't care less. I could name a few who don't, but snowcones are one of my favorite treats, especially shaved ice, but the icy ones will do. The only person I know who tops my love of the snowcone is guess who? My sister Chrissy was the queen of snowcones, particularly shaved ice. We would plan day events around the opening of the snowcone stand. We've traveled miles just to get a crunch on those sweet nostalgic memories. There's the snowcone stand in Eureka and another in Manchester, and on any given summer day, she would call and say, "Are you up for a snowcone run?". Their hours were scattered, but we were troopers who were on a mission. Recently, a new place opened near our house that serves carnival foods.......corn dogs, cotton candy; thus the sacred snowcone is served, too. I haven't gone there yet, but it's on my to-do list this summer. You wouldn't think there was a story about this simple treat; yet, the evening on May 25th, the day after her birthday, there's a story to be told. A smile it put on my face as the events unfolded.
Summer is popping at the seams at my house. We've already had our evenings of water fun in the neighborhood, letting the kids stay up a little bit longer with a few days left of school. Last night, the kids and I went outside. Luke was riding our wagon down the hill, steering it into the woods as I prayed to God we would not be doing an Urgent Care visit. The neighbor girls were playing with Faith on the swing when the question was asked, "Mom, can we get out the water guns??" What mom could say no to that on a perfect warm evening.....swimsuits were optional........and the fun began. As they ran around the houses screaming with fright, loving every minute of the person who would spring around the corner; I was weeding the garden and the flower beds. A few annuals were left to plant, and they were planted in the rest of the flower pots. In the distance, I could hear what sounded like Caribbean style music which reminded me of our trips to Gulf Shores. There was a restaurant called LuLu's (Jimmy Buffet's sister owns the place) that had this marine, island-like atmosphere. As I turned around, I could see this colorful, icecream truck looking vehicle approaching our cul-de-sac with music blaring from it's windows. You could see all the kids stop in their tracks, and before I knew it, Faith was at my side asking, "Oh, mommy, the icecream truck, could we pleasssssssse have one????"
Well, I am a mom who watches her pennies so my initial reaction was, "No, not tonight." My kids are not at all deprived of any sweets and/or icecream. It is a staple in our household, but we go for Dairy Queen or Silky's icecream and even Edy's from the grocery store. As this truck rounded the corner, though, it was different than the normal ringing of the icecream truck. You remember that familiar bell sound driving around your neighborhoods as kids, feeling the anticipation of a cold, sweet treat? The tropical music was grasping my atttention, and to my surprise I saw photos of SNOWCONES on the side of his truck! Yes, I said snowcones! Before I knew it, I was yelling, "STOP!!!!" Faith screamed because it isn't often that I treat them to the truck of cold treats. He rounded the corner giving me the "okay wave" and I dashed to the vehicle while yelling to Marty to grab some cash. I was a mom on a mission who wasn't going to be stopped.
The guy behind the wheel was an older gentleman with a friendly grin on his face, and the first words out of my mouth to him were, "Do you know how long I've been waiting for this?" He giggled and we talked about how he came to own this business just a few months ago, usually staking his spot at special events, school carnivals, festivals and parks. For this evening, though, he decided to take the truck out and visit some neighborhoods, wondering who might want a cold treat. We talked back and forth about what was a good time for this neighborhood crowd and where he would be spending most of his time. It just so happened that pool we joined for the summer will be one of his spots.....Bluebird Park. Could this get any better? As I looked at the side of his truck at all the enticing colors and flavors; I was even more astonished at how reasonable his snowcones were priced. I was ready to buy for all the kids in the neighborhood, but then I took a deep breath and brought myself back to reality. I ordered snowcones for my kids and told him the flavors, and he pointed to the outside of the truck by saying: "I can put on the flavors for you or you can do it yourself." As I looked farther down the end of the truck, there were about 10 spickets with various flavors. Was I dreaming? Will someone please wake me up! Not only is there a snowcone truck, along with icecream bars at the end of my driveway, but I am able to control the amount of juice that is poured upon the ice? I think I must have chuckled and then I passed the snowcone to my children, and of course, they were delighted. How much fun is that to be able to control the amount and type of flavor. As I passed over the cash, he asked, "Well aren't you getting one?" I had to reply that I had my fix today by getting a slushy from the DQ earlier in the day. I think I expressed my gratitude in volumes, and with a wave and a smile, he drove away with the music fading in the distance.
We all stood around with disbelief and smiles on our faces like finding an oasis in the desert. I couldn't help but think of my sister's part in this event. The day before I could only think of my grief, but today was a new day, a day of pleasant surprises, a day of nostalgia eating our snowcones. Who would have thought it...snowcones arriving right at my doorstep?
"Joy is what happens when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are"
By Marianne Williamson
No comments:
Post a Comment