The quiet jingle outside stirred the boy from his black and white programme. He jumped up from the spot where his mother had left him and ran to the window. 
   There it was. 
   A baby blue van with a white sparkling roof and a rotating ice cream on top, pulled to a steady stop outside of his home. 
   It had been very warm for the first days of spring, and as though the van had answered his prayers, an ice cream was just what he had been hoping for.
   The boy bolted into the kitchen. “Mama, Mama!”
   Mother covered the receiver with her hand and looked down at the boy tugging at her tea dress. “Billy, I’m on the phone, darling.”
   “Can I have an ice cream, Mama, he’s outside?” 
   “One second Maggie,” mother said into the phone. She pulled the cord, allowing her to move just enough to see the front window. “There’s no van outside sweetheart.”
   “There is, there is, I promise the ice cream van is just outside, please mama can I have one.”
   “I didn’t hear anything?”
   “It played Teddy Bear’s picnic. The one you always sing to me. Quick Mama or he’ll go.”
   She placed her clip on earring which she had removed for the lengthy conversation she was having with her friend, on the work top and grabbed at her purse taking out a pound note. 
   “Here you go, be quick and come straight back, understand?”
   The boy kissed his mother and ran outside just as the van began to pull away.
   “Wait!” The boy cried. 
   The van stopped. 
   The boy caught up and looked at the sliding glass window eager for his ice cream. He waited but it didn’t open. 
   “Mr, can I have an ice cream please?” The boy called.
   The window didn’t budge. 
   The boy tapped lightly on the van and called again. “Please Mr, can I have an ice cream?” Still, the window did not open. 
   The boy’s shoulders slumped and he began to walk back to his house when he heard the strained squeak of the window opening. The boy jumped and ran back to the van. 
   He squealed with surprise when a head lurched out of the window followed by shoulders and chest that was adorned with a crisp white shirt and red bow tie. 
   The man’s hair was slicked with gel into a quiff and had a small white Capulet that was placed to one side. 
   “Good afternoon my young man. How may I be of service today?” The man’s smile never faulted but remained a permanent fixture on his face,

showing a set of dazzling white and straightened teeth. 
   “Please can I have an ice cream?” The boy said, equalling the man’s smile.
   “Well sure you can. What flavour?”
   “Strawberry, please.”
   “Any sprinkles?”
   “Oh yes please.”
   “Any sauce?”
   “Yeah!” The boy jumped in excitement.
   “Coming right up.” The man got to work, taking the cone out of the packet and then scoping the ice cream out of the freezer, before adding the sprinkles and the sauce on top. 
   It was done in record time but the ice cream itself looked like a work of art. 
   The man leaned out of the window and lowered the ice cream towards the boy. The boy took the cone, his fingers grazing the man’s hand. 
   He held up the pound note. “Thank you, Sir.”
   “Oh no, this ice cream is on me. You don’t owe me a penny.”
   “Thank you Sir, thank you very much. Wait until I tell, mama. Bye now.”
   The boy walked away. 
   “Oh Billy.” The man called. 
   The boy turned. “Wow, you know my name?” He asked, smiling once more.
   “I know all the boy’s names, and today is your lucky day. How would you like to come on the van and have a look around?”
   “Sure,” he stopped. “I…need to tell my mama where I am. Wait one second.”
   “Don’t be silly Billy. It’ll only take a moment. You’ll be back inside in no time. See, I’ve got other boys to visit and give ice cream so I can’t wait around. It’s either now or never.”

    The man disappeared but then the boy saw his arm as it pushed open the door to the back of the van. 
   The boy stepped forward, his footsteps unsure as he knew he should be back inside. “Only if its quick mister, I don’t want my mama to worry.” 
   The boy heard the man’s voice, “You don’t need to worry. I’ll make sure you’re safe and sound.”
   The boy approached the doors and looked into what was the dark space of the ice cream van. 
   The man’s voice came in a whisper, “Hop on, Billy, you can have all the ice cream you want.” 
   The boy was at the door now but thought better of it. “I-I’m okay mister thank you for the ice—”
   Mother was saying her goodbyes when she thought Billy hadn’t come back. She placed the phone down and trotted into the living room. The TV played to itself. 
  She went to the door and called out. “Billy! Come on back here.”
  There was silence. 
  The mother ran to the gate, looking up and down the street. There wasn’t a van in sight, or Billy for that matter. 
  “Billy!” She cried again. 
   It was only when the mother stepped into the road, continuing to call his name that she saw it. 
   The upturned cone sitting smugly on top of the strawberry ice cream. 

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 © Natalie Horner 2021