Ice Cream

6pm. 'Twas raining when I was going home from work. I wore a hooded sweater to cover myself form the weather (ha! It rhymed.) I was walking near the Fuente circle when I saw 2 women selling ice cream at 5 pesos per scoop to promote the flavors of the month for the upcoming holidays. Considering the price range, I bought one; which reminded me of the time when I was young.

Kindergarten, I was in glee when I saw the ice-cream-man who was ringing his bell motioning for the children to buy his product. I bought one for myself in the process. However, I cried when the frozen delight fell off from my cone after school. I was later pacified when my guardian bought me another 3 scoops. But you can only imagine my face looking at the wasted treat melting on the ground. Before, I was complaining upon getting a broken tooth extracted. But afterwards, I was treated with a couple of scoops to divert my attention from the pain. I asked mama if I could get all my teeth removed in exchange for how many gallons. She just exchanged me with a sneer. In grade school, I’d used up my allowance just to satisfy myself of this frozen delight even without eating lunch. My classmates warned me that my stomach would grumble any minute since I didn’t have anything inside. But it didn’t ache; I even continued the same act the next few days. There was even a time when we went out with colleagues at work in celebration of passing our work training. I was pretending to get drunk just because my workmate promised he’d buy me some dessert. I shut my mouth from talking too much when I was able to get my fix. I love ice cream, everyone does, I assume. It never fails to brighten my mood. ICE CREAM = HAPPINESS, not really much of an equation; but not really a point for debate as well. It’s always associated with a celebration, whether it be a birthday, Christmas or a simple get-together where people want to just let loose and talk. You can always see grins on people’s faces whenever you see them with a cone, glass, bowl or cup at hand.

I imagine myself arriving from a long and busy day, alone in my room. Outside, it's raining very hard, I have the air conditioner on  full blast and even a fan directing towards me. I’d wrap myself in the thickest blanket and I’d watch my favorite cartoon show; holding a pint of ube ice cream while savoring every moment of solitude.

*Sigh* I later realized it’s not really because of the ice cream alone, but more of remembering memories of a blissful childhood complimenting the scenarios associated with life’s pleasures.