Old Days: The Ice Cream Truck And Summer Nights

I was surfing when a wave of nostalgia swept over me. Somehow- I got to thinking of the ice cream trucks that used to come around the neighborhoods.

Oh- we still have one around here - but they just sell the frozen in a wrap or carton varieties.

I recall the days when bread delivery-sized trucks would roll by with names like Mister Softee and Tasty-Freeze and you could get a real- honest-to-God soft-serve ice cream cone- or a made-as-you-ordered sundae- or banana split.

I remember the old Dairy Queens with the walk-up windows. Heck- for Saturday evening entertainment we kids would go watch the people at DQ dip cones. In some small towns I hear they still do that...

I miss the old 'Mugs-Up' drive-ins too. The summer nights the family would leave the un-air-conditioned house- pile into the un-air-conditioned car and ride for an ice-cold root beer in a frosted mug.

Then there were the drive-in theaters.
Dad knew the value of one price for a family of 8 to see first-run movies. The station wagon would become a camper those nights as well as a catch-all for the homemade goodies we brought.

Grandpa was right- they don't call 'em the good-old days until you're old- and running out of days.

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