Found Memories of the Ice Cream Parlor

Raising children during the 1970s, mothers were safety coordinators of natural disasters.  With the help of outside sources, also referred to as "the village" in raising a child" when parents were not around, they still had eyes in the back of their heads.  One of the worst scenarios for parents is child melt-down.  So if you can image a mother of 5, experiencing 5 melt-downs all at once, it is enough to appreciate what our local dental plan consisted of.  

Every summer, my mother scheduled dental visits and the phrase, "killing 2 birds with 1 stone", was literally, what she felt with 5 kids, "murderous". Believe it or not, the anxiety level was always low because after the visit, whether a cavity no not, the dentist had two jobs: dental care and psychological impact for both parent and child.  Whether a clean bill of health or not, a free ice cream coupon was delivered promptly: both consistently and a tasty incentive. 
For those who can remember, back in the day, small town ice cream parlors were part of the local pharmacy, at least in my town.   The idea for a dentist to sabotage teeth even more was not in retrospect but the coupon kept everyone happy. 
The local pharmacy was a happy place to go.  Set right in the middle of main street, the big windows in front of the sidewalk displayed anything from toys to small appliances.  The door of wooden frame surrounded a long glass window with an open sign stuck to the inside panel.  A cowbell alerted the pharmacist of patrons entering.  While mother attended to the pharmacist, we rushed to fill our orders in the parlor.  Aligning the counter were high swivel red-cushioned stools made of shiny, cold steel.  The walls covered in posters illustrating wide-smiling, toothless kids posing with their favorite ice cream flavors were enough to make an excruciating dental visit a forgiving healing process.  'Mary Poppins' theme music flowing over the intercom filled the air for a sweeter atmosphere. 

My fond memories of the ice cream parlor is engaging and thanks to our local dentist, my dental visits as an adult are less excruciating.  Yet ice cream in a wafer cone will always be both comforting and delectable. #NationalIceCreamDay