The " Mister Softee" bells.

fuzzybuddy

fuzzybuddy

SF VIP
Location
The Sticks, Northeast PA.
It's probably been mentioned in this section before, but when I hear the "Mister Softee" bells, I see the big blue and white truck, and bunches of kids standing at the window. And you can't help not feeling the "summer". My brother was 4 or 5. He'd stand in line, get his ice cream, and walk off without paying. He did this over and over- you think the "M.S." guy would remember him, but no. We tried telling my brother he needed money. Personally, I think my brother knew that, and getting money from my mom was 50/50 at best , so he just walked off without paying. I hear that tune, and it 80 degrees at 7PM on a sunny summer day.
 

Sadly, there are fewer “Mister Softee” and “Good Humor” trucks around these days. When hearing those bells or the jingle, I entertain notions of respectable adults suddenly dropping whatever they are doing, and running in frantic pursuit of the trucks as they did when kids… 🍦
 
We have a Van that goes through our neighborhood and plays 'Turkey-in-the-straw' very loud.
(it's a Southern thing I'm sure)
Got a jar by the back door with cash reserve and it's amazing how fast I can get in my shoes when
I hear that song!

Wife always makes fun of me, but always reminds me what SHE wants...
 

The ice cream Van.. which comes every day in Summer, has been coming here for over 50 years. Father and son... they play Yankee doodle...

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There used to be a bicycle-driven ice cream vendor who came around my grandmother's urban neighborhood in the 1950's. His bike had two wheels in the front and a great big insulated box was fitted between the wheels.

She would never let me buy from him because she was convinced I'd get ptomaine poisoning from his ice cream. Grandma worried a lot about ptomaine poisoning. You could also get it from dime store lunch counters and Cokes sold from coolers of ice in filling stations, according to her. Ptomaine poisoning was out there everywhere, just waiting for the chance to spring on unsuspecting customers. Let your vigilance down for one second and POW! you were dead.

At our house, we blissfully bought frozen ptomaine treats from whatever ice cream vendor who came by and somehow managed to live full and happy lives.
 
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