The year was 1959. Our small town of Fletcher, OK. was buzzing with excitement about the new store, Jay's Sundries, soon to open on the south side of Cole St. aka Main St. The day finally arrived when we got our first look inside. As we toured the store eyeing the sundry items, as a ten year old I was drawn to the ice cream counter, while Daddy toured the entire store. Suddenly, his eyes were riveted on a lone ice cream freezer, aquamarine in color, located on a top shelf. As Jay was taking it down from its tall perch he told Daddy it was a White Mountain with a gallon and a half capacity. I could see the longing in Daddy's pale blue eyes to own this freezer. Hesitantly, Daddy ask, "How much is it, Jay? I know I can't afford it, but if I ever do get the money and it's still here I'll buy that White Mountain ice cream freezer. I've heard they are the best". Checking the price tag, Jay quoted the price, $16.00 and emphasized the fact it was a gallon and a half freezer not a gallon like most. He just as well have said, $1,600.00. Times were hard; there was no way Daddy could afford it now and he thought, maybe never. (Sixteen dollars doesn't sound like much today, but to put things in perspective, the same White Mountain hand crank, gallon and a half freezer, sells for approximately $200.00 today.) Seeing the longing in Daddy's eyes to own that freezer, I piggy backed onto his dream; his dream became my dream. I would regularly check to see if it was still there and report to Daddy, "that White Mountain gallon and a half ice cream freezer is still there," His reply was always the same, "I'll probably never be able to afford it, but if I ever can and Jay still has it, I'll buy that White Mountain ice cream freezer. I've heard they are the best". Weeks went by and then months and the White Mountain ice cream freezer was still there and even collecting dust, but not a grain of dust gathered on Daddy's dream nor mine, to see him own it.
By now it was the first of the new year and tax time. Daddy and most of the town's people had their taxes done by the local Realtor, Fred Burch. When the calculating was done Fred told Daddy he had a, $16.00 refund due. Just like that, Daddy's impossible dream became possible. There was a light in Daddy's eyes when he gave us the good news. He told us and anyone else that would listen that he knew what he was going to do with that $16.00 refund--"buy that White Mountain gallon and a half ice cream freezer", if Jay still had it when the refund check arrived in the mail weeks later --- No Rapid Refund in those days. Day after day we 'rapidly' made our way to the Post Office to see if, 'the check' had arrived. Excitement built day by day and FINALLY, the big day came, 'the check' arrived. It was one of the happiest days of Daddy's life to proudly walk in to Jay's Sundries, look up on that top shelf and see that White Mountain, gallon and a half, hand crank, aquamarine colored, ice cream freezer still setting on the shelf. As soon as the purchase was made, Daddy happily brought it to its new home, our home. After a thorough washing away of the dust, Mama mixed up the first recipe to be made, and poured it into the ice cream canister. Daddy had the tub, the ice cream salt, a quilt to cover the freezer and my two younger sisters, Fran and Tamie, ready to take turns sitting on the freezer. While he turned the crank with muscles that he always told us were, "as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar", there was the most satisfing look on Daddy's face. And just like Daddy had heard, that White Mountain hand crank, freezer made the most solid home made ice cream any of us had ever eaten.
This is one of the sweetest memories from My Memory Treasures tucked away under the category labeled: 'Sprecious' Memories - (Special + Precious = 'Sprecious Memories'). I saw Daddy's dream born, me piggy backing onto his dream, both of us holding onto the dream, letting no dust collect on it and finally, seeing Daddy realize his dream and me realizing my dream of seeing him realize his dream.