Member-only story
Escaping the troubles of life with a scoop of ice cream
There’s an ice cream parlor on a street corner, just a couple of miles from my home. Late at night when I’m feeling a craving for that old-fashioned scoop of vanilla, the ice cream parlor is my go-to place.
There are other frozen treat shops. You know, the big brand places where you can get an infinite amount of flavor combinations and toppings. They come with all sorts of gimmicks, one of them even holds your ice cream upside down as they hand it to you from the drive-thru window.
And then there’s my favorite ice cream parlor, on a street corner just a couple of miles from home. At this place, the bells and whistles don’t come in flashy signs that have been tested with focus groups. There are no crazy flavors that sound like the latest teenage summer movie titles. The appeal is in the simplicity and in the kind of details you don’t notice until you think about your visit some time later.
What you find at this corner parlor is vanilla. You can also find chocolate and strawberry, you know — those other flavors. But for me, vanilla is the star. Each time I ask for it, I know I’m getting something good and familiar. Something that goes with everything. You can get it in a cup or a cone. You can have it mixed with root beer or made into a shake. Vanilla is whatever you want it to be.
