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Fishing for Ice Cream

Writer's picture: Marty ColchamiroMarty Colchamiro

Updated: Aug 14, 2023

With long summers days it was up to me and my friends to while away the time. Stick ball and other games were a daily occurrence. There were however, days were we used our imagination to come up with other things to do. I came up with the idea of throwing water balloons off the roof of our apartment building splashing girls walking by. That was the plan. So balloons were purchased for just a few pennies. We filled several balloons in my apartment and then each of us carried the water filled balloons to the roof.


Since we all had the experience of watching war movies throughout our childhood we thought we knew the timing of dropping the "bombs" to strike the sidewalk within inches of unsuspecting targets.

It was time to execute the plan. We would peer over the roof top and look for targets. When one was spotted, usually a girl or two walking down the street; we timed dropping the water balloon to splatter in front or behind them. We quickly dropped the water balloon and ducked down behind the roof wall so as not to be seen. We successfully executed this plan. We knew it was successful from the shrill sounds coming from the street. Of course there were cries from adults saying to stop this. Did we listen, well no. Happy with ourselves we continued until the "bombs" were depleted.

We did not, however, count on the enemy lookouts who were now looking up to see the bombers on the roof. Brighton 3rd street was a community in and of itself. I oft times called it a vertical community where the 6 floors of the building were filled with neighbors who all knew each other. Well they knew me and it was reported to my parents the havoc my friends and I created.


I was grounded and had to stay in the house for a week which was the punishment given to me. I think psychology was initially employed as well. It is summertime; it is hot; there is no air conditioning and boredom quickly ensued.


My thoughts turned to things I could do when not in captivity and pined for an ice cream. I knew if I walked out of the building I would soon be spotted by enemy spotters and reported to the headquarter generals, (my parents).


It then occurred to me that, yes, I could not go outside but there might other means to get an ice cream. I was told in no uncertain terms I could not leave the house. So with imagination engaged I thought how I could get out of the house, without being seen and still get an ice cream. I thought of my father's fishing pole. Since he loved fishing off my Uncle Jesse's boat, The Ella, he had a few fishing rods in the closet.

I thought why couldn't I fish off the 4th floor? I opened the closet and got out a fishing pole. I took the fish hook off the line as I did not want to snare a friend and just left the anchor on the line. I then took a paper bag, put in .25 cents and tied it to the line. I went to the window and called out to a friend playing outside. I yelled out my my plan to him. I would let out the tackle and lower the paper bag with the money in it. He would untie the bag and go to the candy store on the corner and buy me an ice cream.


He would then put the ice cream in the paper bag, re-tie the paper bag to the tackle and I would reel up the big catch the day, an ice cream. Wow, it worked. I was so happy and no one told on me. I tried this the next day and again success. I guess being confined at home wasn't so bad after all.


Now I could tell a fishing stories of how I reeled in a big catch of the day. No one would ask if was chocolate or vanilla.



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