A Nickel May Not Be Worth Much Now, But Back In The 1950's

In North Atteboro, Massachusetts, It Was A Fortune To A Little

Kid On A Summer's Afternoon, Because That Was When The ICE CREAM

MAN Would Drive Up In His White Box-Shaped ICE CREAM TRUCK...



Our Parents May Have Known His Real Name, But Us Kids He Was

Always " POPSICLE MAN. " His White Suit And Cap Matched His Truck,

And He Always Wore A Black Bow Tie...



I Lived In The Blue Collar Section Of Town, Right Across The

Veteran's Housing Project. This Wasn't Like A City Project:

Instead Of Tall Apartment Buildings, These Were Individual Small

Ranch Or Cape Houses Rented Reduced Rates To The Veterans Who Had

Served In W W I I ...



There Were A Lot Of Children In The Project, So The ICE CREAM MAN

Stopped There Every Day. Like Dogs, We Children Could Hear The

Sound Of The Truck Bells Long Before Our Parents Could And Would

Begin Begging For Nickels Before The Truck Came Into View...



By The Time The Truck Pulled Up, There Was A Line Of Kids Waiting.

We Would Giggle And Point Excitedly To The Pictures Of Ice Pops,

Fudge Pops, Ice Cream Cones, And Other Treats Plastered On The

Side Of The Truck. My Favorite Was Rasperry Ice Pops And Fudge

Pops. They Had Double Sticks And Could Be Broken Down The Middle

So I Could Save One For Later If I Wanted...



There Were Times When Some Parents Couldn't Afford A Nickel, But

Those Of Us Who Couldn't Buy Would Run Out Anyway To See What The

Other Kids Were Getting !!!