EPISODE # 16 (previously…..Felipe, Doc’s nephew, walks into the Ambrosia Café looking for a quiet corner and a cup of coffee, and finds himself in a parallel universe……Felipe felt like he was watching an episode of the Twilight Zone. These guys were possessed. “You’re telling me Polar Sam’s Ice Cream truck has a projected software screen and is selling sustainable neighborhood software out of his ice cream truck??!”. The whole story was just too bizarre. “Does he have a license??!?” You gotta keep an eye on these immigrants!”
Polar Sam was feeling kind of numb. He’d heard from the Clan. the uplink from Up North had delivered the news. Apparently the Wilkins Ice Shelf was threatening to break off down at the South Pole. The Emperor Penguins had sent out the news and API had picked it up. And now it was everywhere. “Damn Global Warming” he muttered to himself. Driving around suburbia peddling Ice Cream and Frozen Fish seemed so pointless. That they had converted the engine to run on waste vegetable oil was small condolence. He was in a funk.
On top of that, sales were really slow. “Where is everybody?? Does anybody live here??” Driving up and down the streets, time was like molasses. He distracted himself by singing the new words he had made up to the ice cream truck’s jingle to help pass the time…
♫Oh, give me ice, lots of ice under starry skies above,
Don’t melt me out.
Let me roam through the wide open country that I love,
Don’t melt me out.
Let me be by myself in the evenin’ breeze,
And listen to the murmur of the ring seal pleas,
Send me off forever but I ask you please,
Don’t melt me out.
Just turn me loose, let me swim throu the ice bergs
Underneath the artic skies.
On my Cayuse, let me wander over yonder
Till I see the mountains rise.
I want to climb to the ridge where the west commences
And gaze at the moon till I lose my senses
And I can’t look at igloos and I can’t stand fences
Don’t melt me out. ♫
Coming around Bob St, “Where do they get these names?” Sam was drowning in cynicism. Sam saw Doc Plaza, Kid Suburbia and some young fellow headed straight for him. “At last, customers”
He pulled over to the curb and climbed out. ” Ice Cream Trucks weren’t made for Polar Bears” he grumbled, “At least I get a workout just getting in and out. If I gain any more weight, I might just get stuck forever behind the wheel”. Polar Sam was in a funk.
“What’ll it be today?” Sam directed his banter at Kid Suburbia “ I don’t think I recall you meeting the truck this early in my route before. Must be the salmon pushups!”
“I’ll talk a Dreamsicle, and one Village in a Box” Kid Suburbia replied, trying to be matter of factly, but his excitement came rushing forward.
Sam handed him his novelty, and looked to the others. “Two Nutty Buddies” Doc put in his request, “this is my nephew Felipe”. Sam knuckle bumped Felipe and handed out the ice cream.
Sam was about to comment that Suburbia had never gotten anything but a Fudgesicle, but Kid Suburbia wasn’t in a mood to be distracted. “We spent the morning til now reading about profit sharing on www.beyondsuburbia.com, and we’re ready to see how this is going work for our neighborhood. Fire up VBox!”
Sam reached into the cab of Polar Sam’s Snow Cap Frozen Delight’s and pulled out the wireless mouse and keyboard. “Bootin Up!” His spirits started to rise.
“What’s with the Black Arm Band?” Felipe questioned.
Sam tried to keep the up beat but felt the despair hovering. “Oh, the Emperor Penguins reported the Wilkins Ice Shelf is getting ready to break off. Everybody is astonished it could be happening so soon. The arm band is in solidarity.”
“Solidarity with the Penguins?” again Felipe questioned.
“Sort of, but mostly with the ice. We’re all in this together.” Sam made a big gesture that included …everything. “The ice, the penguins, this neighborhood, my truck, your ice cream. Hey, we converted the engine to run on waste vegetable oil!” Sam’s feelings were on a teeter totter.
Doc Plaza put his arm around Sam’s shoulder. “Well let’s get to work. We got optimistic about being able to create affordable housing in the neighborhood, smart infill, so Irene and Jason,” “And Harold” chipped in Kid. “can live here, and not have to commute to work from Albuquerque. That’ll lower our ecofootprint!”
A ray of hope lifted Sam’s heart. “Well alright, let’s see what Village in a Box can do with it”