Ice Cream Does Not Buy Silence

There are many things that I think of now and then as “my earliest memory”.  One memory of an ice cream cone, if not the earliest, certainly comes close.

When I was 3 years old I spent most of the year with my grandmother on the family farm in Montana. One day my 23 year old uncle, Duane Zeiler, who lived on the farm took the family car to town. Along for the ride were several people, including me. He would have left me at home if he could have seen into the future.

I seem to recall that this was a regular trip to town to pick up needed items which probably meant seed or feed. I think we went to Missoula but it could have been Hamilton. While we were in town, Uncle Duane had some work done on the car.

Now, what 3 year old knows anything about a car or what work is needed and what is extra foolishness? I am sure I knew nothing about the “work” that was needed that day.

To make sure that I never told Grandma anything about this work, Uncle Duane promised me an ice cream cone if I would not say anything about the new “oogah” horn he had installed.

I don’t think at that time in his life Uncle Duane knew much about children because he went ahead and bought me the ice cream cone before we left for home.

Still, it was not likely that I would have broken my promise if he had not told me about the horn and then demonstrated its unique blast of “OOOGAHHH” accompanied by bursts of laughter every now and then as we drove home.

Is it any wonder that the first words out of my mouth when the car doors opened when we got home was “Grandma! Uncle Duane got a horn!”? I knew Uncle Duane couldn’t take back the ice cream – but he would have if possible.

Filed under: Family • The Early Years

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