Friday, July 9, 2010

Remember When: Childhood Flavors


I distinctly remember the clanging of the bell,

Kids racing to the street to flag him down,

The white truck slowing at the curb,

And elbows flying for a spot in line.


I always chose an orange push-up,
Or a rocket bar.

I know the trucks are still around, but never in my neighborhood. :-(


My child has never had this experience.


The ice cream truck has melted from my life without a trace.


Bummer!
(photobucket.com/Forlo, thebehivecottage.blogspot.com, nineteen69.wordpress.com,flickr.com/photos/mojeecat)

25 comments:

Matthew MacNish said...

They come through my cookie cutter subdivision all the time and of course our kids go crazy ... but for some reason they don't seem quite as awesome (or as classy) as they did when I was growing up.

Today's guest blogger is Guinevere Rowell!

Unknown said...

I loved the last picture, how fun!!!! Living in Des Moines, Iowa the ice cream trucks don't come around so often, but when I moved three years ago to Houston, Texas they not only have ice cream trucks they now have grocery cart men who have even different candy...

Sounds creepy doesn't it? Once you get to know him you realize he does it for the local schools around the area, sort of like a booster club, it's awesome!

Jayne said...

We still get the ice cream van where I live, that disjointed jangly music, and then the purr of the hot engine as it pulls to the kerb. But the queue of kids has gone... maybe ice-cream is so accessible these days, the thrill of running out for the van has disappeared. I feel a bit too old to run for the van now, although may just do it anyway. :)

Dr. Mohamed said...

I like the B&W photo. It captures the simplicity and totality of childhood happiness. G_d bless innocence.

S.A. Larsenッ said...

That photo is great!! Love the melting ice cream truck. In our neighborhood, that truck is still a phenomenon. Truly. I guess we're in the minority, Matt. ";-)

Maddy said...

My favorite was the vanilla soft serve with rainbow sprinkles. Though I didn't actually get the sprinkles often as a kid b/c it was 25 cents extra - considered a luxury back then! In college, we had a soft serve machine in the cafeteria as well as rainbow sprinkles, so I more than made up for lost time...and I'm still paying the price ;o)

Anonymous said...

i saw an ice cream truck this past weekend. and it def made me rem the good ole days!

Erica Mitchell said...

Aww. I miss the Ice Cream Man. I haven't seen or heard one of these trucks in ages. I'm with you I always got an orange push up.
I love the last picture, even though it makes me a lil' sad.
Have a great weekend!

Pamela Gold said...

Your post has brought up such great memories. I lived on a cul de sac as a kid. We had two ice cream trucks. The Good Humor man would bring all the classics (and his bells would literally jingle to let us know he was comin'), to which I would choose an eclair or strawberry shortcake. The Little Jimmy man would bring italian ice (your typical blazing ice cream man melody). I think I've tried 'em all.... but cherry? That will always be my favorite!

Lisa_Gibson said...

I remember getting cold bubble gum and chocolate shakes. Bomb pops were awesome. My son does make it to the ice cream truck occasionally. :) Were the ice cream men always so creepy? Fun memories though.

Anonymous said...

What I wouldn't do for a BombPop right now. Must go and get one. Thanks for the memories.
Mary

LisaDay said...

I never saw an ice cream truck until my 20s. I do believe my sister-in-law tells my niece that when the bells ring, it means there is no more ice cream.

LisaDay

Anonymous said...

I agree! Growing up in Vietnam, I'm well acquainted with ice cream trucks (Vietnamese-flavored). But my little sister has never bought an ice cream from an ice cream truck. I find that extremely sad.

Kari said...

Oh! I just saw an ice cream truck yesterday...we even get them in December where I live..

I always used to get the pink baseball glove things with gum in the middle :)

Little Ms J said...

I loved the Good Humor Strawberry Shortcake bars!

Sharlene T. said...

We lived for the ice cream truck, as did my daughters... fudcicle, that was my favorite, or ice cream sandwich... still prefer the sandwich, to this day... I guess it's too scary to send a child out to an ice cream man you really don't know... loved the simpler times, but I'm not sure they were more innocent, as less revealed... come visit when you can...

Twitter: SolarChief

liz said...

I had just forgotten about rainbow push-ups! Yum!

Anonymous said...

When I was a child there were always ice creams trucks circulating in the summer. I would get something fudgey or chocolaty.

Then I moved from a big city to the suburbs, and ice creams trucks were scarce but still around. Now I don't see them at all.

Talei said...

Hahaha. Love the melted ice cream van. We had Mr Whippy growing up - he would always play 'Greensleeves' and we could hear his van a mile away. All the kids would run to him like the Pied Piper,ah how times have changed! I always loved the snow cone with a choc flake! Or the choc and nut covered iceblock (icelolly?) ;)

Stephanie said...

LOL I heard those familiar bells onthe street just last weekend. Grabbed mykids and my wallet and thought they were going to have a fabulous childhood experience. It was a dude who sharpens knives!! Booo.

Guinevere said...

Opposite for me - growing up in the country, we never had an ice cream truck. I've never bought an ice cream off the truck! But... now I live in the 'burbs, so when I have kids, they'll be able to buy popsicles for the ice cream truck I see (and hear) driving through the neighborhood on summer afternoons.

Lourie said...

Oh the melted ice cream truck is priceless! Hahaha. I loved the push up bars. And 50/50 bars. Yum. We have ice cream trucks here, but man so danged expensive. Plus my kids are weird. They don't like it.

Lia Victoria said...

I lived next door to the ice-cream man for a few shining months when I was 7...

Those were the days :D

Unknown said...

Oh, I remember the ice cream truck and I got those rocket bars too. So many fun memories

Debby@Just Breathe said...

I remember those days. Love the melted truck :)