Sweet exchange

Day 5 of 31 at TWT!

Ding-dong-ding-dong-ding-dong-ding! The doorbell rings wildly. 

Silly geese! I'm almost ready! I roll my eyes, knowing that on the porch, one or both of my daughters is pushing their pointer finger(s) repeatedly on the doorbell button while playing outside with my husband. I told them I'd be out in just a minute!

Then, I hear it. 

The faint tinkling of cheesy canned music. 

Do-do-do-do-do-do-dooo-do, do-do-do-do-do-do-doooo-do...

THE ICE CREAM TRUCK!!!!!

THAT'S why they rang the doorbell! 

I spring into action, almost falling down in my attempt to pull on my shoes while leaping across the room while sprinting towards the stairs. I skid to a halt in the downstairs hallway to grab Sweetie's Brownie sash and the boxes of cookies we just sorted out for Mr. Ray today, grinning as I remember a few weeks ago when he so kindly bought from us. 

--

It had been another gorgeous, sunny, unseasonably warm day for February in Ohio. Sweetie and I had been out delivering the first round of Girl Scout cookies to our neighbors when we'd heard that same magic sound: that tinkly music that only means one thing. She'd sprinted down the sidewalk of the street we were walking down, but we hadn't needed to hurry: so many neighbors were excited to have a February visit from the ice cream truck that we had to wait our turn! 

Since we are one of his best customers, he knew we weren't at our house, and we'd explained that we were out delivering cookies, as I frantically texted my husband, "ICE CREAM TRUCK! WE'LL TELL HIM TO STOP AT YOU!"

"I don't suppose you have any extras?" he'd said with a slow smile.

"We can get some! There's another round of sales!" Sweetie was bouncing with the double excitement of the ice cream truck and a possible cookie sale. 

"Oh, well then show me what you have!" He reached out his window, and she handed him her clipboard.

OMG, are we really selling cookies to the ice cream man?! I thought this had to be one of the most unique sales in the history of Girl Scouts. "You can just write, Mr. Ray, ice cream truck!" I clarified to make sure he didn't feel like he had to give us his phone number or address. 

He laughed his deep laugh. "Yeah, yeah, okay. So I'll take some of them coconut ones, and... hmm, what are those? Lemon?" He asked us questions and ordered 4 boxes while exchanging money and ice cream bars with our neighbors, then got me my usual Creamsicle and took Sweetie's order for a cotton candy pop. "You just save those cookies for me and we'll see how the weather goes, ok?"

"Make sure you stop at our house now!" I told him. "Her little sister is still asleep, but her dad will get her something to eat later!"

"A Tweetie Bird!" Sweetie chimed in. 

"Of course, of course!" Mr. Ray grinned. 

"ICE CREAM TRUCK COMING NOW! Sis says to get Rainbow a Tweetie Bird bar!" I texted Husband.

We waved at Mr. Ray, and he honked as he headed down the street. "It's like we traded!" she squealed. "We got ice cream and he's getting cookies!" She skipped and pranced back to the part of the sidewalk where we'd left our cookie delivery cart, and we opened our packages, savoring the sweetness of tangy ice cream bars while warm sun rays gently trick us into believing it wasn't February. 

--

Now, just a few weeks later, it's almost as warm, and the sun is shining just as bright. I burst through the front door, Brownie sash and cookies in hand. Rainbow Girl is galloping around the driveway with her unicorn bubble blower. When she sees me, she screeches, "MOMMY! THE ICE CREAM TRUCK!" She hops up and down, pointing down the street. Then, a little more calmly, she adds, "He's playing my favorite song!" and beams her sweetest smile. 

"I know!" I giggle as Sweetie comes careening around the corner of the house with an identical bubble blower. "Good thing we sorted out his cookies today! I guess we didn't have to save them for long!"

Mr. Ray slows to a stop as he approaches our house. "Come here, little Brownie!" he calls up the driveway, and Sweetie skips up to his truck, proudly holding out his cookies. 

<3

Our ice cream is sweet, but having such a friendly ice cream man is even sweeter!