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Saturday, May 29, 2010

Ice Cream Trucks And Summer Afternoons

Earlier this week, I saw something I haven't seen in quite some time.  It was a real ice cream truck.  Those are hard to come by here anymore.  As I watched it, my mind went back to the memory I will always associate with ice cream trucks.

When I was a little girl, I lived on a farm, but I often spent time with my grandparents.  It was my home away from home.  After my parents divorced, we moved into a duplex just a few blocks away from my grandparents' house.  It was a dream come true for me.  I was incredibly close to them, and my parents' divorce was really an ugly ordeal.  I came out of it rather shell-shocked and in need of time with them. 

My grandpa had been a self-professed dog hater all his life.  However, he finally decided to get a dog of his own after meeting a Shetland Sheepdog that he really liked.  He'd been so charmed by the dog that he began searching for one right away.  I'd gone with them to look at the puppy and he rode home on my lap from the breeder's house just a year before.  Cavett was quite a little character and my grandpa spoiled the dog royally.  He was so spoilt that my grandpa would go to the grocery store deli and buy him roast beef, then sit on the step in the kitchen and tear it into little pieces for him, hand feeding them to him one by one. 

Every day on the way home from school, my sister and I stopped by their house.  Our mom was usually working and so she wouldn't know if we got home right away anyway.  We loved stopping to play with Cavett and talk to my grandparents.  One thing was always certain during the warm months at their house.  There was always a box of ice cream sandwiches in their freezer.  We were always allowed to have one unless it was the last one.  If it was the last one, it had to be saved because Cavett got an ice cream sandwich every afternoon. 

As it happened, my grandparents lived in an old-fashioned neighborhood.  They knew all their neighbors and were on good terms with everyone.  It was like a place from a movie that's almost too good to be true. 

Of course, one afternoon, it happened that they ran out of ice cream sandwiches.  For some reason, they hadn't been to the store, or hadn't realized the last one had disappeared from the box.  Whatever the case, it was still a fact that Cavett was in danger of missing his afternoon treat.  Sure enough, the ice cream truck went by that afternoon.  My grandpa stopped it and bought an ice cream sandwich for Cavett and whatever frosty treat my sister and I requested and life was good again. 

The next day, the ice cream truck came by again like clockwork.  However, there was something different on this day.  As the music of the truck chimed past the house, Cavett ran out, sat down and howled as if his heart were broken.  He learned that quickly that the ice cream truck jingle meant ice cream sandwiches and he thought it was time.  Of course, the freezer had been restocked with plenty of ice cream sandwiches by then and there was no need to buy one from the truck.  It didn't matter to Cavett.  He howled long and loud, getting fully in touch with his inner wolf.  Just as he finished his mournful serenade, the truck came back by and he had to start all over again. 

For the rest of the time my grandparents lived there, Cavett went through the same routine, howling his heart out until the music faded away.  They tried to make sure they had him in the house when it would go by, but it didn't always happen.  He did always howl whenever he heard that sound, though, for the rest of his life.  To this day, I can't hear or see an ice cream truck and not remember that remarkable little dog!

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26 comments:

  1. that was such a wonderful memory to share. we felts like we were weally there hearing him howl at the truck. we thank you for starting our morning out wiff this feel good stowy.

    pibble sugars to you
    the pittie pack

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  2. What an absolutely great story. Sure made me smile on a Saturday morning.

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  3. Funny how quickly things are learned, and how hard they are to unlearn. Great story!

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  4. What great memories of Cavett and of your Grandfather. I find myself very surprised that someone went from being a dog hater to a devoted dog spoiler within one lifetime!

    It is amazing how quickly dogs learn a fun routine and expect it daily. Somehow, that's how my dogs have ended up getting lunch everyday... There was that one day that I gave them a special treat of yogurt as I had my lunch... and the rest is history!

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  5. Cavett sounds like a wonderful dog! Extra special for changing someone who thought he was a dog hater into such a dog lover!! Thanks for sharing this story!

    Wags,
    Zona

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  6. Woof! Woof! Great story to share. BLOG HOP Day. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar

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  7. A lovely trip down memory lane. What an absolutely gorgeous dog too!
    Have a lovely weekend.
    love
    Martha and Bailey xxx

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  8. What a great story! In my old neighborhood, the ice cream truck used to play, with its little bells system, Beethoven's Per Elisa. It was tolerable until about the fifth run through!

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  9. Lol! What a great story....poor Cavett ;)

    I can imagine that it would rack up quite the bill if he got ice cream from the truck every day...

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  10. What a great story!

    We heard one in our neighbourhoods last night - the tune it was playing got WAY annoying - akhkhording to Mom - it was "Turkey in the Straw" or was it "Do your ears hang low?"

    Thanks fur sharing this memory AND fur making Mom khrave an ice khream sandwich!

    Hugz&Khysses,
    Khyra & Khousin Merdie

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  11. Now...wait. Lets me get this straight. There's a truck that brings you ice cream? WHY has my mom never told me about this? I think she has been hiding something from me. I must speak to her about this at once!

    Um, sorry, what was the rest of your post about? Oh! Cavett!

    I luved your story (when I could keep my mind from wandering over to the truck that brings you ice cream). I likes that your granddad went from not liking doggies to having a doggie that got ice cream sandwiches everyday. It sounds like Cavett was a pretty smart fellow. Did he EVER get another ice cream sandwich from the truck?

    Wiggles & Wags,
    mayzie

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  12. Sure, dogs are most clever about where foodables come from. Momma says that she remembers ice cream trucks back from when she was a kid and dinosaurs roamed the earth. Too bad that everybody is so paranoid nowadays that even if one came by, the parents would likely lock up their human pups.

    Slobbers,
    mango

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  13. Wow! Cavett was one lucky dog....an icecream sandwich of his own every day! I wonder what I have to do to get that to happen at my house.
    Great story! We have an ice cream truck that comes around our neighborhood in the summer. Maybe I need to start howling at it ;o)
    Snuggles,
    Twix

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  14. I scream you scream Cavett screams we all scream for ice cream!

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  15. Thanks for sharing those good memories!
    Sure Cavett was a very smart boy!
    Kisses and hugs
    Lorenza

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  16. What a great story!!! Cavett sounds like he brought a lot of (much needed) joy to you when you needed it most!!!

    You should come spend a few days with us....there are several "iffy" looking ice cream trucks that roll through our 'hood AROUND THE CLOCK. Mom doesn't let me visit them because she says the drivers all look like pillfreaks and child molesters. I'm sure yours was nice though.

    Love,
    S-Dog

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  17. Pee S.
    One of the shady ice cream trucks that drives though our 'hood plays CHRISTMAS MUSIC (I $#it you not!!!)

    It's ridonkulous!

    Love,
    S-Dog

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  18. Tis a lovely story!

    Sigh,the only truck that drives by my place everyday is the garbage truck ;(

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  19. What a lovely story, clever Cavett. Sounds like he helped heal you too :)

    I see those vans around here never knew what they were for before so from now on I'll be keeping my peepers peeled.

    Wiry wags Eric x

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  20. I can just feel the nostalgia in your post. What an awesome story.. so glad that your grandpa wound up liking dogs!

    And I'm sure the ice cream truck appreciated the business. I'd go back every afternoon if I were him, too..

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  21. Cavett must love ice cream to have discovered in just one visit that he can call it right to him.
    Funny, but true - as I was reading this my dogs started to howl. I do not hear an ice cream truck, but maybe I will in a minute!

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  22. That is the sweetest story :) Now I'm craving an ice cream sandwich.

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  23. What a great story!!! Thanks so much for sharing.

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  24. Hey Ho to Bunny!! We loved this story so much that our mommy read it out loud to daddy. They were both laughing. WE felt Cavett's pain. Good story!
    Smooches from pooches,
    BabyRocketDog and Hootie

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  25. We have what we call the evil ice cram truck in our neighborhood. It repeats the same maniacal ditty over and over and over and over for a few hours each night. If Brutus ever made the connection that Cavett did, we'd never have a peaceful evening all summer!

    Michelle

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  26. Love it! Love it! Bunny's Mum, you write so well. My Grandmother had a Sheltie named Jason, before I was born and I still hear stories about him, I think he passed away in 1975. Such an impact or furbabies make. I love it.
    xx Major's Mum xx

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