Eating Ice Cream

Such a delightful experience! Or so one would like to think

A now grownup niece reminded me of a rather fraught episode. She had come visiting on a weekend which I should have been spending at home. Unfortunately, I was summoned by the powers that be and so to the office I went, niece in tow – she must have been around eleven at the time. She had a ball, as all children do in a grown up’s world, twirling on the chairs, stapling and punching paper, and making phone calls. Work done, I took her for an ice-cream treat. She opted for a jumbo cone and once she had been served, we hopped into a cab to take us home. Suddenly, I discovered that she was eating the cone from both ends, juggling the melting drips not very successfully. I had a dreadful vision of a sticky, ice-cream coated rear seat and a raving taxi driver and also an ice-cream covered niece and a not-too-happy sister-in-law. Luckily, my handbag always contains a surplus of tissues (it’s a female thing) and I spread them generously around, covering seat and lap. We reached home safely and my niece topped the ride with a triumphant, ‘told you so!’ – confirmation that her way was the best way to eat ice-cream in the cone!

On another occasion, when at a very enjoyable meal with a family at their home in Barcelona, ice cream was served as dessert. A tray with several medium sized plastic containers (a little larger than the single serving) was placed on the table and, as guest, I was asked to go first. I looked at the flavours on offer, chose one, opened the lid and tucked in. Conversation flowed, some in brisk Catalan and some in English, so it was only a little while later that I looked up and noticed that I was the only one eating while all the others were watching me with great interest. I asked for the reason but was told by my host to carry on. The ice cream was melting and I had only a little way to go, so I scooped the cup clean to resounding applause!! My host then explained that the custom was to serve a couple of spoons from each cup onto the place and pass it on. No one had ever finished a container all by themselves and they were wondering if I would make it!! They were astounded that I did. For the rest of my visit, I could not live the experience down. Every time we visited an ice cream outlet, the family would purchase their requirement and request a separate large tub for me telling the vendor, very firmly, “She really loves her ice cream!”

And this reminds me of a happy quote from my collection: Since God is watching us, the least we can do is be entertaining! (The author is Anon and quite a prolific author he – or she – is too!!)