I left work early to watch Ben for the rest of the day since my babysitting coverage fell through.
We walked over to Alphabet Scoops on East 11th Street between Ave A and B. It's a small ice cream shop affiliated with Father's Heart Ministries located next door.
According to their flyers, the profits from the scoop shop are reinvested in an array of community service projects run by the ministry - food pantry, assistance to the ill and elderly and support of KidsZone (helping teens get job training and support). All the kids working at the scoop shop are recruited and trained from the KidsZone program - they've all been a pleasure to meet and take great pride in making and serving the ice cream. So far there is no evidence that the ministry does anything that would scare the hell out of me.
I love ice cream. Chocolate chip ice cream is right up there with air conditioning on my "proof of God" list.
So Ben, Saki (our dog) and I leave Alphabet Scoops and go for a leisurely walk through Tompkins Square Park. I start to notice how many men have commented on how great my ice cream cone looks - so I'm standing there directing everyone to Alphabet Scoops and feeling like a good citizen. By the time our little stroll through the park is over I look down and notice that my boxy linen shirt is wide open and totally unbuttoned - exposing my very boring pink bra to the public.
I gasped and asked Ben "how long has mommy's shirt been open?"
He looked up from his cone and said "I don't know...a while I guess. Mommy, I don't really notice girl things like that."
Well neither does anyone else in this neighborhood.
9 comments:
Are you sure it was the ice cream they meant "looked good"? :)
I will say it again...I LOVE reading you and seeing the slice of East Village life.
Hannah
P.S. One of our/my sons is Ben!
What a great idea!! The "proof of God" list, not the open shirt... On second thought, there should be lots of room on the list.
That is too funny. I once looked down and noticed about half a hamburger (my lunch) hanging off my shirt. I was horrified. What a waste.
Hh - Surely you flatter me. God only knows what message I was sending out to passersby - hey check out my dog, my kid, my ice cream....and my rack - I guess.
Ben is a special name isn't it?
floridora - I LOVE my proof of god list. It helps me get through the blues.
Kranki - I'm glad to make you laugh. I always have something hanging off my shirt - it's just when I'm hanging out of it that I feel odd.
Ellen's Rack is Timeless.
We love it when she smears ice cream on it.
Damn..Damn..Damn..when the hell did we start rolling down that 40s hill? HUH? Well. At least, in my memories, we're still in our late teens, stuffing frozen croissant almond paste in our hungry mouths all summer long.
In the eternal words of Miss Kate Bush,
And if I only could,
I'd make a deal with God,
And I'd get him to swap our places,
Be running up that road,
Be running up that hill,
With no problems.
Loving you all the way as I roll down this mother fxxxxing hill.
Hi Anonymous
My wonderful old friend. It's good to hear from you. Thanks for your kind words about my rack. Kate Bush gave you away.
cheers
Lee - one day I will wake up and think that I am mint chocolate chip ice cream.
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