PrintIce Cream Truck Dispute Heats Up, Then Melts
So a lot has happened since I first hipped you to the retro Good Humor man earlier this week. Who knew that when I was talking to Jose "Jay" Martinez on Sunday that he was one party in bitter feud among ice cream men? The New York Times reported earlier today on the re-emergence of the Good Humor brand in Manhattan and the "cold war" that erupted on a corner on the Upper West Side on Tuesday afternoon:
“I sell Good Humor, too,” said [Ceasar Ruiz, who operates out of a Mister Softee truck]. “But his is more cheap. I sell bar for $2. He might sell for $1.50. Not good. Not good....”
“I’m trying to make a dollar just like he is,” said [José] Martinez, his voice rising loud enough for the other driver to hear. “He’s telling me I have to go. But he doesn’t own this spot.”
“Good Humor started this whole thing,” Mr. Martinez added, forcing a smile and tipping his cap at a passer-by who slowed just long enough to admire the vintage ice cream truck, a restored 1966 Ford. “We’re the originals.”
I was in the middle of this drafting this post when word came in on the Times City Room blog of a drastic shift in the stand-off.
On Tuesday, Ruiz, who, it turns out, is actually named Carlos Rodriguez, vowed to arrive earlier than Martinez this morning. But Martinez was a no-show:
Mr. Rodriguez, who a day earlier had given his name as Ceasar Ruiz, said that he got to the corner by about noon, more than two hours earlier than normal, expecting another showdown with Mr. Martinez. “I’m glad he is not here,” Mr. Rodriguez said shortly before 2:30 p.m., his normal start time. Counting a thin wad of crumpled bills, mostly singles, he looked up, smiling with his eyes. “Maybe he found another place,” Mr. Rodriguez said.
Is this a cease fire for a day? A complete surrender by Martinez? Can it be peaceably resolved or will the BombPops fly?
Related
Sugar Rush: The Retro Ice Cream Man Cometh
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
1 Comment:
When I was a kid, the Good Humor man came around on a bicycle-driven cart contraption, soundtracked by the jingling bells. I also remember the Mister Softee truck and his benign little themesong. Seems (even back then) there was enough business for both. At that time, the Softee truck only sold soft-serve. Seems to me that there are enough soft-serve-based creations to provide Mr. Softee's customers with plenty of options; why does he also sell Good Humor??
You don't see the Good Humor man squishing soft serve out of his truck, do you? (Or has that changed??)
chiff0nade at 5:23PM on 06/01/08