We lived in Velma Oklahoma in a small oil filed camp for the engineers at the Skelly office. The entire town was maybe a whole 600 people. Probably closer to 400 since everyone knew everyone and it only had a Dairy Queen as the hot spot in town. Even Martin’s Grocery store closed at 5.

I was in third grade and Velma had just begun a so-called JV team. So called, because Velma only played 8-man football. This really meant something to the town. This showed a sign of growth, if only imaginary. They played on a Thursday and it was an excuse for me to “cut and run” with my friends. After the game, we decided to drop by the Dairy Queen to top off the night. I got my usual Dilly Bar and was sitting at the bench lapping it up when my friend Gary walked up with the best eatin’ ice cream thing I had ever seen. It was is a slender clear plastic cone shaped container that you could see right through. Inside I could see solid swirls of strawberry, chocolate, and caramel within the ice cream. On top was a healthy portion of whipped cram with nuts and a cherry. In his left had was a long read slender spoon that he used to scoop out the tantalizing concoction. I had never seen anything like this before. This was 1961 and the most advanced thing around was the rotor on the 80 ft TV antenna and those fast cooking dinners you popped in the stove for 20 minutes. This was different and looked like it tasted great. Gary would not give me a bite but I did coax the name of the sundae out of him. He called it a “Pale Face Sundae." I would remember that name for forever.

The next night we all went to the football game. It was the family thing to do in Velma on a chilled autumn Friday night. Heck it was the only thing to do. I mean watching your local 8 man football team beat sitting at home trying to get a decent picture from that 80 ft TV antenna pointed north. After the game in order to extend the thrill, we went to the Diary Queen. This is where everyone went after the game, including the visiting team. Everyone knew everyone. Kids, adults, teachers, on and on. As you drove up you could hear the rumble of talking as everyone was trying to talk. Talking about the game, the latest thing to happen to them, giving out advice, verbalizing their dreams, hopes, wishes, and of course eating ice cream.

My Dad turned to my mother to verified her usual, nodded to by brother, basically telling him he would get a small cone (he was just a tot) and he turned to me and said “Dilly Bar?”

I thought about the sundae, and said, “No I will take a Pale Face Sundae."

My Dad looked at me and said in a questioning tone “A Pale Face Sundae?" "Never heard of it, you sure?”

“Yea Dad, Gary had one last night. It has ice cream, caramel and neat stuff you eat from a clear cup with a red spoon.”

My Dad walked off. I could tell he was doing that word association thing so he would remember the order. He was kind of neat about those things.

Man, there was a bunch of people at the Dairy Queen. I mean it was shoulder to shoulder and could not just drive through, cause Velma did not have a drive through. You had to either walk inside or go to the window to order. The inside was packed. All you saw was rear ends up against the bulging windows and heads just bopping up and down with chatter. I was glad Dad went to the walk up. It was a long line but here finally made it the window.

You could tell from the way he gave the order which one he was giving. For his, he always pointed to the chocolate sundae posted to the left side of the window. For moms he looked straight ahead cause it was always a Coke. For my brother’s order, the showed the size of the cone with his index finger raised above the counter top. I was so excited.

Something unusual happened I say that cause dad kind of step back while the clerk stated to smile. His smile soon went to the loudest laugh I had ever heard. One of those one syllable wholehearted bottom of the belly laughs. Then the clerk whispered to the guy that was doing the cokes. The Coke guy broke down holding his stomach. Two others heard the clerk tell the Coke guy and they were laughing. I could see it spread right from where my father and clerk stood to almost everyone in ear shot in an instant.

The laughter was still spreading when the clerk leaned out the window and said something in my father’s ear. He had to say it twice since my dad did not catch it the first time due to the spreading belly laughs around him. The laughter was dying out as it reached the car, but people were pointing at him and laughing. I had no idea why. I felt sorry for my dad. What did he do?

He was walking back to the car. Worse yet he was walking back to the car looking at me. I was bewildered with the unknowing. I was part of the reason for the look, but had no idea of what I did wrong. I made my bed, took out the trash. I was checking my list of “Things You Have To Do." Everything was done. Ahhh I must be misreading dear old Dad.

“Son..” my dad said.

I could tell he was angry. He was clinching his teeth together. I knew that cause I did not hear the familiar click of his false teeth. When you did not hear the click, you knew it was serious.

“Son!....” he said again to be sure he had my attention.

I said, “Yes, Dad.” Wondering what I had done.

He said “Par-Fay Sundae!”. “Par-Fay!”

We did not eat at Dairy Queen that night. By the time we made it home we were laughing too. Except my brother, he was crying cause he did not see any humor in him not getting a cone.

Love you, Dad