THE AMBULANT ICE CREAM VENDOR AND MEMORIES OF MY CHILDHOOD

I was about 4 when an ambulant ice cream vendor pushing his cart passed in front of our old house in Poblacion M’lang, North Cotabato ringing his bell which sounded like music to my ears.

My brother Pat, who was almost 6 at that time, apparently felt that I really wanted to have a cone of ice cream and told me to run after the ice cream man to ask him to come back to the house while he went up to ask our Nanay for some money.

I came running back gasping for breath with the ice cream vendor close behind me only to hear Nanay tell the ice cream man that she did not have money.

“I’m sorry but my boys did not know that I have no money now,” I remember Nanay telling the ice cream vendor who was apparently irritated but managed to smile and left.

My heart sank and so did my brother Pat’s because we really liked to have some ice cream that day but our Nanay did not have any money.

Last Friday, I visited Poblacion 7 in Midsayap and as soon as I arrived, the women who were there ran towards me and hugged me to welcome me to the barangay.

Little children also lined up to kiss my hand.

Then, somebody gave me a cone of ice cream she bought from an ambulant ice cream vendor who was surrounded by children in the barangay center.

As I licked the ice cream I noticed that many children were looking at me and immediately the memories of my childhood when my Nanay did not have money to pay for an ice cone came rushing back to my mind.

I immediately told the ice cream vendor to give every child who was there an ice cream cone each and I paid a total of P300.

It was a small amount but I am certain that those children who received an ice cream cone last Friday will remember that day when Manny Pinol came and bought them ice cream.

They will certainly remember that simple act of generosity just as I still remember the day when I was not able to have my dreamed ice cream because my Nanay did not have money.

I have always believed that children who are shown love and generosity will grow up capable of sharing love and showing generosity.