Oinks

When I look back at this photo, I think of summers spent at Lake Michigan. I don’t know exactly when it was taken, but I definitely know where: Oinks, the best ice cream parlor in the whole entire world. Hands down. The ice cream is not the only fantastic feature of this place. It is always teeming with people, bustling with activity. The air is buzzes with anticipation and delight. And last but certainly not least, the decor is pig-themed. As pigs are my favorite animals, I am thrilled with the variety of pig paraphernalia displayed. Every summer I make sure to go Oinks at least once. It’s a bit of a schlepp to get over there. Located in Michigan, Oinks is by no means close to our Indiana lake house. All of us cousins have to band together to cajole an adult into driving us. This was sometimes a hard sell, but without fail, we managed it every single summer.

Once the decision was made to go to Oinks, all of us jumped up with joy and race down to the car, as fast as we possibly could. There was no time to waste when Oinks was involved! Blasting the oldies radio station, we set out. In the car, we pressed our faces to the windows. Each of us wanting to be the first one to sight the sign the said ‘Welcome to Michigan’ and then ‘Oinks!’ With every passing moment, our excitement mounted. At Oinks, there were always a ton of people. We always left our grown-up escort waiting in line. There were free samples waiting for us in the candy store next door. That should explain it. After a few minutes, when we knew it would be long before our turn, we dashed back over to marvel over the multitudes of flavors. It was so hard to choose between Blue Moon and Mackinac Island Fudge, Chocolate and Rainbow Sherbet, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Moose Tracks. I know I could have spent hours deciding. I always worried that I wouldn’t choose the right flavor. Suddenly, the moment of truth arrived. I gave my order to the guy behind the counter. Year after year, I stood in unbearable suspense, hoping I had made the right decision, doubting that I had until after that first delectable spoonful. I was right every single time. It’s hard to go wrong with anything at Oinks.