PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

                                                  Orange Squash.

                                                  *************

My mind flew back to more than 5 decades back  for a brief stroll to a small district town of my childhood. We were two brothers , my parents and my granny in the happy contented family.During the hot summer months ice-cream peddlers used to shout "Ice Cream,ice cream ice cream" During summer we had morning school from 6.45 a.m to 12 noon.The ice-cream men used to push their iceboxed carts enticing kids to buy and lick on the delectable ice-lollies. But I felt very,very sad and unhappy because no extra money was available at home. All money was with my parents. My father did a 10 to 5 job and my mom cooked and cleaned.Of course assisted by a wholetime maid Santo.We also had a pet mongrel whom we kept indoors.There were a few potted rose plants in our teeny weeny cemented courtyard.At that time the courtyard seemed huge really huge. We were not at all well to do money wise so no question of any ice-candy or cold drinks for a treat.

Sorry readers, I think a whiff of nostalgia set in when I am typing this for my one and only ole Bernie who somehow reminds me of my godfather Santa Claus uncle who used to work abroad and a bachelor.But he was very very attached to my humble family.He used to come home to us once in a year and how clearly I remember his handing out Cadbury chocolates to us brothers and biscuits for Lassie the mongrel.

I beg apologies to the unwary readers for beating about the bush and not doing justice to the title.Let me say now since the preamble is over for this piece.During hot summer every Saturday me and my elder brother used to wait expectantly for my father to come home from office. Since Saturday was half day at his humble workplace.A lone cycle rickshaw used to stop before our rented home in the alley. My father with a bundle of straw at the rickshaws footrest in which was a large chunk of ice. The ice was put into a piece of thick cloth by my loving mother and hit with a heavy stone to crush it. I waited expectly for the final.A few pieces of ice in my dry mouth was indeed heaven.Then in an aluminium "handi" tap water was poured with a lot of sugar. This was stirred with a large spoon to mix the sugar.Two large ladles of orange squash was added and finally the ice.

By the time the concoction was poured into tumblers almost all the ice had melted.A piece or two was rationed for each tumbler. Chiiled nectar from heaven above filled my inner soul! Alas when my godfather uncle retired from his job and began to live with us he brought with him a small 65 litre Allwyn fridge. There was plenty of ice cubes the but the days had long since passed.