butterscotch escape

When we were kids, there were many Saturdays spent sitting side-by-side on the couch on our knees staring out a window waiting for our dad to come get us. He said he'd be there. He rarely ever was. The days he didn't ever arrive far outnumbered the days he did by decades. On the rare occasion he found his way back to us and after an hour fighting with Mom, he'd load the four of us into his car, pop in his 8-track tape of Sammy Davis, and drive us to Farrell's for ice-cream. While we binged on sundaes, Dad romanced his flavor of the day. Sometimes it was "Uncle Gary" and more often it was what became wife number two  (probably to hide rumors about "Uncle Gary"), who was also conveniently named Linda. We called her Big L. She wasn't fat, she was just a taller person named Linda.  She was gorgeous, smelled good, baked amazing cakes and Karen and I thought she was a princess. Big L had two daughters from a previous marriage who also had the good fortune of having to spend their once-in-a while Saturdays at Farrell's eating Sundaes while their mom made out with a creep. We'd spend hours at Farrell's- us kids- while our once-in-a-while parents ignored us. That was fine. We were happy to entertain each other, peruse the old time candy shop, and most importantly, not be at home.
Dad came around even less, he married Big L and came around never again. And we really missed Farrell's.
Until this week.
It turns out that there's a Farrell's eight miles from my house now! Our little brother, Tod, came over and we revisited our youth. We ordered the same sundaes we did 30 years ago, the Gold Digger and the Nutty Nutty. Escape from reality still tastes like Butterscotch and is smothered in whipped cream.

*I'm guessing the person who named the sundaes also has divorced parents.

Comments

[Deb]

What a testament to the spirit and strength of you and your siblings. You've proven that, when life hands you a family tree filled with fruits and nuts, it's best to find a way to make a sundae.

[Michelle]

Good stuff. xo

[cjaxon]

I want a sundae tradition ... No fair, I had a shithead for an absentee father, too. If I make it out there you are taking me for sundaes, yes?

[deborah mori]

You and your siblings rock. I remember Farrell's too, being from OC myself. If I ever make it to one again, I'll be ordering the ZOO. Even if I am by myself... I love how they run around with a giant barrel of ice cream suspended in the air, much like how they carried the Arc in biblical days.

Yes, the ZOO for sure. Maybe I'll drive up there and we can order one!
Thanks for the trip down memory lane, sorry about your dad.