The Ice Cream Man

It’s 5 pm on June 19th, one week until the solstice. The ice cream man doodles by, broadcasting his merry tune. All good, yes? Well, not exactly, something’s gone awry. At 46 degrees south, we are talking WINTER solstice. It’s dark outside, 35 degrees F, and there’s snow on the hills around town. Hmmm. I’m out schlepping around wet firewood wearing full winter gear and a headlamp while a stiff breeze blows in from Antarctica. Still, the ice cream man brings on that jingle we associate with the sultry nights of summer. It’s a cruel trick. Is this ice cream-in-winter thing a testament to Kiwi hardiness (“Insulation? In houses, you say?”), or is the man serving hot chocolate?