, though, thetriphadbecomerepetitious-morefields, morecrops, morebirdcalls-andI, certainlyamongothers, , ithappened:There, intheabsolutemiddleofnowhere（straightoutofwhat, someyearslater, IwouldthinkofasTheTwilightZoneoraStephenKingnovel（，onthesideofanothersingle-laneroadhundredsofyardsfromanythingthatresembledcivilization, , justawoodencountersixoreightfeetwide, fivefeethigh, twofeetdeep, withpolessupportingawoodsheetthatservedassuncoverforthegrizzled, butsmiling, “IceCream-10Flavors”werepaintedprominentlyonthefront.
, anyflavorwewished, , naturally, boundless, , .
,“Whatwouldyoulike?”Iliketothinktherewasatwinkleinhiseyesashedidandthatwhatfollowedwasaritualbetweenthem, althoughthefewkidswho’dattendedMrs.
Knapp’sclassesinyearsbeforehadn’tbeentothestand.
Shepausedthoughtfully, thensaid,“IthinkI’llhaveaconewithascoopofeach.”
Hedidn’tbataneyelash, ?Alltenflavors?Inonecone?, thiswomanwhowassmallerthantheoldestofherstudents, wasgoingtoeataten-scoopicecreamcone?
Withthesameaplombshedisplayedintheclassroom, “Mmm”, agogwithenvy, assheconsumedeverysweetmound, movinghertongueupanddownfromvanillatostrawberrytobutterpecan, notlosingadroptotheheatoftheafternoon.
Afterward, wewalkedbacktotheschool, perhapsjustamileorsoaway, packedupourthings, saidgood-byetoherandeachother, andwalkedhomeorwaitedforourparentstocome.
Ofcourse, Itoldmyparentsabouttheevent, and, ofcourse, , , Isupposed, , andthoughwelooked, Ineverfoundthaticecreamstand, either.
