Labor Day weekend is traditionally the last hurrah of summer. It’s the time to put the white shoes away, although fashionistas don’t — it’s what my mother always said and did. The school bell has rung. Hello boys and girls to a new year of learning.
However, I heard something the other day while in Brookfield that reminded me that the sounds of summer are not completely gone. It was the sound of the ice cream truck — I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream, remember? I hadn’t heard it in a long time.
I remember knowing when the truck would wind down Selborne Road in Riverside when I was a child, and I was ready with my money. The driver drove slowly because he knew which streets had children living there, so he was cautious. He didn’t want to hit one of his customers.
Most of the time it was a Good Humor truck. The driver wore white and looked exceptionally clean. As we got older, we seemed to like to say things to him that we thought were funny to see if he really had “good humor.” Get it?
We knew the menu and had our favorites — Creamsicles, the malted ice cream bars; everything was good. Think I’ll go back to Brookfield and wait for the ice cream truck; I’ll have my dollars ready.
Another once familiar sight was the knife sharpener, who would wheel his cart down the street. His cart’s bells could be heard from a block away, which was good for those who needed knives and scissors sharpened.
But the sound of the approaching cart meant I would run into the house. The reason? My brother and his friends told me it was the boogey man, and I believed it. To this day when I hear that sound I get a bit tense. Consequently, I have had some dull knives. But now can go to the Riverside Farmers Market to get those keen blades.
Other good summer sounds? Kids on baseball fields, the screams as people jumping into pools trying to do a cannon ball and laughter.
Good Humor bar would really taste good right now.
