Day 9
When I was little, the best part of road trips was stopping at Howard Johnson's to eat.
When I was little, the worst part of road trips was leaving behind my little sister. (She would have loved the Sundaes!)
After eating our meal, my older sister and I were allowed to order dessert.
A huge clear bowl-like widemouth wine-looking type glass with warm chocolate fudge sliding down the sides like a rivulet of chocolate heaven. Huge scoops of vanilla ice cream stuffed like fluffy white clouds into the cup blessed with chocolate fudge. Whip cream squirted in crinkly waves resting on top of the clouds of ice cream. A fake gloriously artificial red cherry on top. I would hold my long-handled spoon with anticipation. Anticipation for the sadness to go, the missing to hurt less.
(Source of picture: http://edibleeastbay.com/online-magazine/fall-2012/sweet-cold-and-unforgettable-pleasure/)
The cold ice cream melting against my tongue would clear away the taste of bitter tears . The swirling chocolate would sweeten my throat, so my mind would not dwell in separation but the union of ice cream, whip cream and fudge. It would fill the emptiness of separation.
The rescued whip cream sinking into the swirl of melted ice cream. The sweet to bitterness bottom of the cup as my spoon scraped the bottom and my younger sister's cute dimpled face faded in the background of summer days away from home to spend time with my dad.
Summer days on the road with my father, his wife, and thank God my older sister but not my little sister. Time with my father meant separation from my little sister, mother and stepdad. Families cut into parts, disjointed. Oh the joy of the Ice Cream Sundae to sweeten my heavy heart with a fake bright unnaturally bright red cherry on top!
I love this summer road trip memory in childhood at HOJO's. The contrast between glorious ice cream sundaes and the sadness of separation from your little sister during these trips... my heart! How bittersweet.
ReplyDeleteGuess what I did after PD this afternoon? I walked to the grocery store and got some Ben and Jerry's to celebrate the gift of the perfect 70 degree day. Thanks for getting us outside to be kissed by the sun at lunch today.
I love the last paragraph so much. The way you focus on the joy of the ice cream building to the reveal of your "disjointed" family. I also wonder if you've ever read Barbara Kingsolver's essay "Stone Soup" -- it's about family after divorce. I think you'd enjoy it! (I use it as a mentor text with Creative Writing to talk about the personal essay.)
ReplyDeleteOh, wow. I love the way you captured the deliciousness of the ice cream with the missing of your sister. This Slice is like the definition of bitter sweet.
ReplyDeleteBitter and sweet...you made me feel and taste both of those dueling emotions. You could do a clinic on sensory details, Natasha. Effective, powerful. I immediately wanted a sundae when I read this. Tomorrow, we are getting one. And thanks, too, for making me go outside today. This day is a gift: you made me realize that.
ReplyDeleteBitter and sweet...you made me feel and taste both of those dueling emotions. You could do a clinic on sensory details, Natasha. Effective, powerful. I immediately wanted a sundae when I read this. Tomorrow, we are getting one. And thanks, too, for making me go outside today. This day is a gift: you made me realize that.
ReplyDeleteThis is a luscious slice of life story! I've long loved hot fudge sundaes. I'm salivating right now (and planning my next trip to get ice cream this weekend).
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