Flavors 

 Have you ever thought about the number of flavors for ice cream there are? What sent my brain down this trail of thought? Let me explain. Wednesday, I was busy most of the afternoon and evening. I visited a new doctor about my carpal tunnel problem in my left wrist. It took over a month to get the appointment, so I left early to be sure that I was on time. He agreed that there are symptoms, but wanted a nerve study done before the surgery. Driving to the appointment and back I heard an occasional shushing sound from my front wheel. I stopped for some groceries, tossing them on the kitchen counter, but I needed to call my mechanic and call to make an appointment for my nerve conduction study.

Forgetting about the groceries, I went to my mechanic. I was relieved that the problem was small and easily repaired. By then, it was nearly 6:30 p.m. and I decided to go directly from there to prayer meeting. A little after 8 p.m. as I was driving home, I nearly panicked. I forgot to put away the ice cream I’d bought earlier.

That was what caused thoughts of ice cream and its many flavors to emerge. I can remember my dad, Carl would buy ice cream at Resh’s Red & White store in Indian Head, Pennsylvania. He would buy the rectangular box, pint-sized ice cream in different flavors, then cut them in half as single servings. Since there were five of us, there was always one half pint left over. Dad’s favorite was orange pineapple and he would always tuck the second half of the orange pineapple away for later.

I can also remember visiting relatives in Millersport, Ohio, My cousin Oliver and I slipped away to a nearby ice cream parlor that was attached to an ice cream production factory. The counter person would serve a long glass gondola dish piled high with every flavor of ice cream and sherbet that the factory created. They placed that tall pyramid of mouth watering, belly busting goodness in front of us. The cost was under a dollar. What flavors? I can’t remember them all, but we both left the sherbet to last. I don’t think that I finished my lemon or lime. They were my least favorite.