Nostalgia

You know that antsy feeling every mammal on earth has when the light dims earlier each day and they sense the shifting temps coming? I'm wrapped up in fleece and feeling sad. Let's go back to summer, shall we? 

The Ice Cream Truck

We were preparing dinner in the kitchen on a hot August night with all of the windows open when I heard the music. I spent the first five years of my life living in the Bronx, running in open fire hydrants on hot summer nights and careening down four flights of stairs with a nickle in my sweaty paw when I heard the tinny sound of the Ice Cream Truck music, as it drove up to the corner of Briggs Avenue.

I could not believe my ears; could that be the identical tinny music in my Ticky-Tacky neighborhood forty five years later? We three heard it around the same time and raised our heads, ears pricked.

"What is that?" asked Tom.

"That," I replied, suddenly five years old again, "is an Ice Cream Truck!!"

To which my children replied, "And what, mother dear, is an Ice Cream Truck?"

It was an honest to goodness ice cream truck. That's Hope, buying her first, and potentially only cone from an Ice Cream Truck. I know, the b&w filter is tragic, but I am feeling nostalgic and all of my earliest photos were in black and white. 

Ice Cream Truck Dude explained that he does "events," so he goes to parties, ball games, that sort of thing, where he drives his Ice Cream truck to the event, parks it and sells ice cream. I might want that job. He drives through neighborhoods on his way to and from events, so this was a one-off kind of deal. Particularly given that my kid was the only one parting with cash on this hot summer night. 

Our Home Town Diner

A short bike ride from our new digs is a road that has this sign. I explained to the children that "No Outlet" is the new "Dead End." 

We promptly headed down the road, which caused the children to ask what in the heck I was doing. If the road had NO OUTLET, what exactly was the point of going down it? Clearly it is time to introduce these children to Robert Frost. 

I will say that as someone who lived at the end of the DEAD END for the ten years of my life the ended in high school graduation I always hated people who drove down the road just to see what was at the end of the dead end. WE were at the end of the dead end, so, move along, people! Nothing to see here!

But now that I am old and reasonably well traveled, I understand the road less traveled itch that causes people to want to, you know, just check it out.

So glad we did. Look what we found! Our very own Home Town Diner! 

It's a brilliant place, and exactly what you would expect from Your Very Own Home Town Diner: crayons and a placemat to color.

I should clarify that this restaurant does have egress on a more well traveled road. But, given its location, it is not something we would have ever stumbled upon without our curious expedition down the No Outlet road. I do hope the No Outlet people will forgive our transgression. 

Our Local Movie Theatre

We went to the movies one afternoon during our last weeks of summer freedom. A matinee cost three dollars a person. When was the last time you went to a movie and it cost three dollars?

A weeknight will set me back four bucks, but the children are still only six bucks for the two of them. What. A. Deal.

Of course, we're talking about movies you can probably see on Netflix, but still, you get to go to a movie theater! We're just waiting for Guardians of the Galaxy to show up. Another couple of months and it will be there, for sure.

Of course, the other issue is distance. While this is the closest movie theater to us by a long shot, it's a twenty minute drive. But then, what isn't a twenty minute drive these days? 

 Next: Yes, Susan, Higher Standards! 

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(1) Hope, Tom and I celebrate our birthdays in a week's span.

Comments

[Susan / ChocoMare]

Seee, I knew it was! ;)

I, too, have fond and awesome memories of The Ice Cream Man. For us, it was Joe, The Good Humor Man. I can hear the harmony in the bells right now.

[Rose]

Every summer day the ice cream man made his way down our street. It has been a long time since I've thought of him.

Did they really say "Mother dear"? Sounds like they've been reading "The Five Little Peppers" ;)

[Ellen]

No, they did not! They more likely grunted and rolled their eyes at me. But I can imagine, can't I? ;-)