Summer Memories

Story by Bea Zorzella

| SHORT WRITING CONTEST

The summer sun blazes down on the sidewalks
My sandals slap, slap, slap against the stone
I sigh, the heat making me impatient
But then I see it, a building I’ve always known

I rush ahead and push open the door
The cool air inside a sudden relief
From the sweltering heat outside
There’s a man behind the counter, and I know he’s the chief

He smiles at me warmly
And I smile back
“Which flavor for you today, miss?”
He asks, pointing to his ice cream, of which there is no lack

I run my hand along the glass
Looking at the colorful array in front of me
Chocolate, blueberry, rocky road
They look so magnificent, like a creamy sea

I order vanilla, a favorite of mine
Pale, a classic, and popular too
Sweet and tasty
The first time I ate it, I almost flew

I pay at the counter and wave goodbye
Cone in hand, I walk out the door
Back into the blistering heat of summer
Melting the ice cream, which drips on the floor

I take a bite out of the ice cream,
Savoring the sweet, creamy flavor
Taking me back to when I was a child
Licking ice cream, which I would savor

My friend and I
Right after school
Running to get ice cream
To keep us cool

Oh how those days were so carefree
No worries at all
And when we were together,
We never felt small

Our little feet running along the pavement
Our laughter as we would talk
Our wide smiles when we got our treat
And eating it just down the block

I would always get vanilla
And she, mint chip
We would lick our cones
And down our chin it would drip

Oh, those were good times
And they make me smile
Thinking of those things
Now seems like a trial

Thinking of the times that I no longer have
Of the joy that is no longer there
Just some old moments
And something we no longer share

But now there’s just me
And this empty street
And this vanilla ice cream
As my memory treat