My Mother has a list of words that trigger certain stories of my father. She says that "ice cream" triggers the story of Fritzy, and of course, this time was no exception.
The family, and anyone else within earshot, hears this story almost every time we have ice cream, whether it is hand cranked or not. In fact, telling this story is such a tradition in the family that Jeff's kids, Nick (4) and Rudy (6), often prompt their grandfather to tell them about Fritzy before he has an opportunity to say...."You know, when I was living down home..."
"Down home" was a farm in Wathena, Kansas where my father grew up as a child. The farm land was located on rolling hillsides where apple and peach orchards grew and in "bottom land" where the Boeh family planted, nurtured and picked acres upon acres of strawberries, corn, soybeans. "Down home" is the setting for countless stories, and the story of Fritzy was no exception.
I can imagine that Sunday in mid-summer, when the air was hot, very still and heavy and the only sound was the sound of the cicadas in trees that surrounded the farmhouse. Sunday was a day during which only necessary tasks were performed. The remainder of the day was reserved for family.
My Dad had two sisters, Virginia (Butch) and Bernadette (Penny) and one brother, Ray. Although there was always a slew of aunts, uncles, cousins and relatives at the house, especially on Sunday, which was "visiting" day.
Probably for relief from the heat as well as for a treat, the family decided to make ice cream. So the kids were sent off to get ice from the ice house, eggs from the chickens, milk and cream from the cows (really!) and the remaining store bought ingredients, while their mother located the ice maker.
After all the ingredients had been assembled and mixed together, everyone took turns cranking the cream until no one could turn it any more which meant that it was ready.
Dad and Ray, probably in their pre-teen years, were been sitting on the porch enjoying the cold, sweet cream, when they noticed Fritzy, one of the many stray dogs that found their way to the farm, excitedly jumping around them anxious for a taste of what she knew was something good to eat.
"So there was Fritzy running and jumping up trying to get some of our ice cream," Dad recounted to the family at large, "and that was when Ray looked at me and said, 'Let's give her some ice cream and see if she likes it.'"
"Yeah, Ray," Dad said, "go ahead, give her some of yours."
So Ray put his entire bowl down on the ground so Fritzy could have a "taste."
"Well, that dog had never had ice cream before and she went after it like it was biscuits covered in steak gravy," said Dad. "She took one large bite, and then stood absolutely still for a few seconds. Then began turning her head from one side to another and running around in circles! Then she put her head on the ground and moaned. Ray and I were laughing so hard, we nearly wet our pants!"
"Jack? Ray?" came the voice of their mother, "What are you boys doing to that dog?"
"Nothing," they said. "She just wanted Ray's ice cream," Dad said, "so he gave her some."
I am sure that this episode was followed by a mini-lecture about squandering "resources" on a dog, but Dad has never said what happened next. He is always laughing so hard at the memory that he can't talk.
We do know that the dog eventually recovered and grew to love ice cream, but from that day forward whenever anyone bit into some ice cream and made a face, everyone commented that they were "doin' a Fritzy."
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