Some lessons you learn when you are very young and never forget. You are glad for the lesson but the method just kinda sticks with you. In the more recent enlightened times that we live in some would say the method was cruel and caused long term psychological damage. I don't agree with that. I just think it makes for an amusing story.
It was a rare occasion for us kids. Our father had all four of us with him without my mother being present. This didn't happen often as Dad was always working and weekends were spent working on our home,his boat,or a myriad of other projects. It was a warm summer day and we were all riding in the car together. There was no air conditioning in the car as this was a luxury back in the day. We were returning from visiting some of my fathers friends,pretty boring stuff,when an even rarer thing happened. My father says,"lets' stop for ice cream." Now let me tell you this was something ! A euphoria spread over us kids. Stopping at the local corner grocery he went inside and returned with ice cream cones for all. Passing them out he handed me the one he had selected for me. Unwrapping the paper I saw that it was strawberry. At this point things started heading south. Strawberry is not one of my favorites and I just felt I had to say something. " I don't like strawberry." My father,in a calm voice says to me," so you don't want that cone?" I replied that I didn't.
Big mistake ! Dad took that cone and tossed it out the window. There it landed upside down on the hot pavement. My two brothers and sister said nothing(being older and wiser)and quietly ate their cones. I just sat there and watched mine melt. I was smart enough to not say a word but suffered in silence. LESSON LEARNED. After that I always took whatever was offered and was thankful for that. It was then I learned about looking a gift horse in the mouth.
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