Small wonder I’ve been craving ice cream — the temperatures have been nudging the 90s for a couple of weeks. So I decided to treat myself on the way home from one of my monthly blood tests. And where else would I stop but at one of the local Baskin-Robbins stores for a double-dip cone of Baseball Nut™.
Baseball Nut has been my favorite B-R flavor since I first tasted it on a visit to Washington, D.C. when I was 11. That was an especially impressionable age for me, and an especially memorable trip. My first time on an airplane, for starters. And the first time I met my fun-loving Aunt Elby’s family. Her real name was Laura Beth, which was shortened to L.B., but everyone just called her Elby.
It was also the first time I’d ever been to a Baskin-Robbins (we didn’t have one in Independence, Mo. at the time) and I was overwhelmed by the choices. “Baseball Nut is my favorite,” Elby announced, “you should get that.” It was wonderful — rich vanilla ice cream swirled with blueberry and lots of cashews. I didn’t know what it had to do with baseball, but it was great stuff.
I made up my mind about a few other things on that trip as well. My mom and I were visiting for the wedding of Elby’s son … and as soon as I clamped eyes on his bride, I decided she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen and I wanted to be just like her. Not that I ever would be, with her tall, slender frame, long dark brown hair and deep brown eyes. Some 20 years later, when I saw her again, I told her about that memory, and she actually blushed.
Elby’s son also had the car of my dreams — a bright red 1960 Jaguar XK150 Roadster (he still owns it, matter of fact). And best of all for a starry-eyed preteen girl, he took me for a ride in it! I just knew that everybody was looking at me with envy as we drove around a few blocks near their house. I’ve wanted a red convertible ever since. (But my turbo-charged Saab with sunroof is a fine substitute.)
Baseball Nut brings all that back to me — that lost innocence and bright hopefulness of childhood.
from her husband - lee anne was admitted to the hospital yesterday with a blood pressure of 220/110 and shortness of breath. she is being prepared for dialysis.
pray for her to get better with me.
ken
Posted by: ken | July 07, 2005 at 06:21 PM