Act 3, Scene 14: “For Whom the Bell Tolls”

It tolls for TRL. That sweet, sweet jingle-jingle-jingle announcing the ice cream truck is here. The boys are too small, and S and TRL don't encourage them eating ice cream anyway (that's what the grandparents are for). But the excitement of the music, a sing-song tinkling breaking into TRL's consciousness as he labors away at the computer upstairs, is a real treat. TRL's ears perk up and his heart accelerates, priming his body for the run to the truck even before TRL is fully aware of the truck. It is a vestigial response from his youth.

Out of the corner of his eye through the window he sees the Insane Clown Posse Truck slowly winding its way towards him. He runs to the front window and reads "Juniper Farms" on the side of the white truck, just above the window where the treats are dispensed. Red, white and blue rocket pops, eclairs stuffed with a chocolate bar, Italian ices, creamsicles, they are all there, and more. But TRL, petting his stomach, knows he cannot chase this dream, not right now, anyway. He would look ridiculous chasing the truck, a grown man in sweat shorts and cheap clogs tearing across the lawn and barreling down the sidewalk in an attempt to flag down the ice cream man. The neighbors would be disturbed. But just to have it reappear in his life is something unexpected and refreshing.