Thursday, May 20, 2010

ABOVE AND BEYOND


So Rojo has been obsessed (is there a stronger word than obsessed?) with the ice cream truck for many, many, many, grey-hair creating years. He takes a short break from talking about it between the months of November and February, then it's back up for grabs. He plays various ice cream truck songs on his keyboard, on our piano, taps and hums them while he eats his breakfast, plays them on a recorder, kicks the breakfast bar to the beat of them when he eats his dinner, sings them in the car, listens to them on YouTube, loudly and repeatedly, on and on and on and on.

I've got "Do Your Ears Hang Low?" and "The Entertainer" coming out my ears.

"Mom, where does the ice cream truck live?"

"Is the ice cream truck coming to our house today, Mom?"

"What time is the ice cream truck coming to our house today, Mom?"

"Is it going to be hot today? If it's hot today, will the ice cream truck come to our house today, Mom?"

I'm going to go ahead and conservatively guess he asks an ice cream truck related question, twenty times a day. Every day. For eight months of the year. For at least the last six years. Not a mark on him.

So on Sunday we were walking back from the park/neighborhood school playground, and we ran into a friend of mine. She has a child on the spectrum, and although our boys don't know each other, we know all about each other's boys. You know how that goes. Rojo asks her, "Did you see the ice cream truck at your house? If you see the ice cream truck come by, make sure you tell them to come down to our house. Don't forget. Promise you won't forget."

"Well," she says, "you know my boys have a lot of food allergies, so sometimes I get the kinds of treats they can eat, put them in an ice chest in the wagon, and we walk around passing those out to the neighbors."

That's all it took.

"Mom? Can we go to Mrs. F.'s house and get ice cream after school? Can we go to her wagon? Can we just go there right after we pick up Woohoo and just go straight there and get ice cream?"

Relentlessly

So Monday I e-mailed Mrs. F. and asked if we could swing by, and would it be possible that Rojo give her a dollar for something she had in her freezer.

She e-mailed back and wanted to know just what it was he liked, what was the exact song he preferred the ice cream truck to play, etc.  When we pulled up to her house at the designated time (3:45), she had the wagon all out, had made a big sign to put on the outside, displaying all the kinds of treats they had (and that she'd driven all over town shopping for) and as we got out of the car she grabbed her i-Phone, pushed "play" and out came "Do Your Ears Hang Low?" WHO DOES THAT??

Then, because she'd created a monster, and the weather here is down right wintry this week with unbelievable rain, she has taped the sign TO HER CAR, and driven TO OUR HOUSE, three days IN A ROW at Rojo's preferred ice cream eating time.

And she even lowered her prices, $0.05.

But truly, those popsicles and that friend? Priceless.

24 comments:

Jill said...

that might be the best story i have ever heard. that is one amazing friend.

Anonymous said...

That friend sounds Ahh-mazing!

Elizabeth said...

This made me laugh and cry. Fantastic. We are all so weird, I think.

Me said...

People are amazing aren't they?

jess said...

Holy crap. I mean, seriously. Holy crap.

Anonymous said...

Priceless indeed. What a loving, generous friend you have there. You and Rojo both attract such beauty to your lives.

(And I hope she finds a way to comfortably cancel the ice cream truck route before she goes crazy on it!)

Lori said...

THAT is a good friend. And a great person. I want to know her.

Have you considered a tour of the local ice cream truck "home" or the ice cream manufacturer? Ask the truck driver - maybe you can arrange something that will stop at least three of the questions...

Anonymous said...

That is the sweetest!

Ask Me Anything said...

You HAVE GOT to have this published. Such a great friend. People like that make a difference to the whole world.

PS: Send this to the MasterCard people!

Deb Shucka said...

I hear Mary whistling The Entertainer in the background. One of your best stories ever - if someone had made this up, it would not be believable.

Wanda said...

This post? Speechless.

One Mom said...

I love it. Seriously, who does that? Someone who understands, that's who. And, oh, what a gift it is to find someone who understands.

Lola said...

p.s. a book of short stories.....you have lots of material

Lola said...

This post gives me tingles and tears! I love it and your neighbour SO much!

Brenda Rothman (Mama Be Good) said...

LOVE it! Especially that a friend thought of this and took the trouble. Good friend. Good enough to share my ice cream with.

fullsoulahead.com said...

Wow. The power of Rojo. What that boy attracts!

Tanya @ TeenAutism said...

Wow. I love Mrs. F! What a gift she is.

Anonymous said...

I don't know if I would love her or hate her.

Suzy said...

What more can you ask for?

pixiemama said...

Yet another reason to move - to meet insanely nice people who get it. YES. We'll be down the road soon.

This is an amazing story, love. Thanks for sharing.

xo

Robin said...

And she lowered her prices?!?! Seriously, she could have raised her prices to make an awesome profit and still be tops.

Unknown said...

goosebumps, Carrie.

kario said...

What a riot! Yet another person Rojo has touched with his magic, huh? Here's hoping the actual ice cream truck starts coming soon.

BTW, I wonder if Rojo will become an ice cream truck driver someday. Mightn't that be his dream job?

Ms. TK said...

She deserves a crown of stars in heaven. Seriously.