Ice Cream and Eileen

One hot summer day in Oswego, New York, when I was much younger, Maureen and I took the little kids to Friendly’s for ice cream.  It was one of those beautiful days when school was out, I was home from school, and Maureen and I were babysitting.  Since we’d been watching the kids for most of the day, along with mom, I needed a break.  I figured Mom did, too.  It just worked out naturally that in a family of seven kids, as the oldest and second oldest, we spent almost all our time watching the younger siblings.  Maureen and I put Colleen and Eileen in the stroller, and she and I set off.  Christine, at age 5, was too old for the stroller, so she had to walk.  Colleen, who was 3, and Eileen, who was only 1 ½, got to ride.  Eileen, the youngest, was what some might call a “difficult” baby.  She was very smart.  She was always having a tantrum because she couldn’t get to the cleaning supplies under the kitchen sink, or she might have to share a toy she wanted to play with, or because she had to sit in the highchair to eat.  In a nutshell, Eileen was a handful.  I’m guessing Mom knew I had ulterior motives in taking the kids to Friendly’s - all us kids love ice cream, and it would waste some time.  However, I think she was probably excited for an hour of peace and quiet with nobody else home.  With six kids and a husband, time alone was a rare luxury for any of us, especially her.  Although money was always tight for our family, we had enough so that Christine, Colleen, and Eileen could get a small sundae or milkshake.  

So we walked the few blocks down from our house on Bridge Street to the little Friendly’s.  One or two old ladies passed us on the sidewalk and smiled at our procession.  The sidewalk seemed to radiate heat back up.  I wished someone could push me in a stroller so I didn’t have to walk.  Colleen and Eileen were so lucky!  Covered from the sun, they travelled like royalty.  Periodically, I checked on them to make sure the sun wasn’t in their faces, or they weren’t slipping out, but each time I looked, they were fine.  The sun beat down, and sweat rolled down my face, but the two little ones rode comfortably in the shade of the stroller’s awning.  Luckily, Friendly’s, it was nice and cool inside.  The air conditioning was delicious, and we were promptly seated.  I remember thinking this was such a good idea to come here, I should have thought of it sooner.

We ordered sundaes for the kids - three Happy Ending Sundaes with vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream, and a cherry on top.  This is still my favorite today! We got multiple spoons, and everyone shared.  Maureen sat on the outside of the booth, sandwiching in Colleen and Christine, while I sat next to Eileen.  Amazingly, everyone was well-behaved.  Nobody minded sharing - there was enough hot fudge to go around, and I got to eat two maraschino cherries, since Christine and Colleen didn’t want theirs.  As ice cream was systematically devoured, there was a contented silence.  We ate for about a half an hour before Eileen and Colleen started to get “itchy”, a term we had coined to mean, “squirmy”.  Of course we had to make the mandatory bathroom runs in twos, Maureen taking Colleen to go, and then I took Eileen.  This was a rather lengthy process, as one of us always had to stay with Christine, and the person in charge in the bathroom had to wait for the little one to be “all done”.  It was better to be safe than sorry.  Finally, after all bathroom runs had been made, we were waiting for the bill.  I remember trying to keep Eileen amused and entertained as she tried to escape the booth and run through the restaurant.  Maureen was trying to mediate a brewing commotion between Colleen and Christine - things were normal.  I remember looking over at Eileen.  I was just in time to catch her poising a fork in the air, about to strike the shoulder of the old man in the next booth.

Our trip to Friendly’s closed on that note.  I grabbed the fork out of her hand, simultaneously shouting, “Eileen!  No!”  She let out a shriek of annoyance, and I quickly started preparations to leave, after apologizing to the old guy.  Nobody got hurt, but she had a little smile.  It was amazing that such a cute kid could be so mischievous.  Isn’t that always the way?  There were many more incidents with Eileen growing up, and she continued to give us a run for our money.  But I am glad Mom wasn’t there that afternoon.  It was one less thing for her to worry about, and now, it gives me something to look back on and smile.  Maureen and I packed up the kids and walked home from Friendly’s.  ***  I wonder if Eileen even remembers that little adventure.