By Heather Aveson  |  Political lessons come in all flavors. For Congressman Ed Markey, his first taste of civic engagement came right here in Lexington behind the wheel of a neighborhood ice cream truck. Paraphrasing the folk song of the same era, “If he had a bell he’d ring it in the morning, he’d ring it in the evening, all over this town.”

Summer 1965 found Ed Markey, a graduate of Malden Catholic High School, looking forward to entering Boston College in the fall. With tuition bills to pay he found his way to the driver’s seat of a Hood Ice Cream truck. Markey remembers his truck the way others think of their first GTO. “It was a sparkling white truck, The Colonial Maid.” It took a substantial investment for a young man, he was responsible for the $12 a day rent, buying his own ice cream and paying for insurance.

Markey quickly made the investment pay off. As “Eddie the Ice Cream Man” he traveled the streets of town announcing his approach with the iconic tinkle of his truck’s bell. He got to know the kids and parents along his route and built a loyal following.

Then it happened. Just as the British tried to silence the colonists in 1775, a long forgotten town statute threatened to silence Markey’s bell. “I’d been doing business street by street. One day the Lexington Police stopped me and escorted me and my truck to the station.” Eddie the Ice Cream Man was in violation of a 1798 town ordinance which Markey can still recall word for word. “The sale of any victuals by any hawker or vendor by means of ringing a bell within the confines of Lexington is prohibited.”

 An ice cream truck without its bell? Why, you may as well take the apple out of apple pie. “It would be very difficult to sell ice cream without my bell,” says Markey. Silenced, he hit the streets one more time. Like Paul Revere he spread the warning to the parents and children along his route “the ice cream truck isn’t coming! the ice cream truck isn’t coming.”

“Parents and children were upset. Lincoln Cole was the Chairman of The Board of Selectmen at that time, and at their next meeting a couple of dozen kids and parents showed up and filled the back of the room.”

With such a ringing endorsement from the citizenry, the selectmen agreed to change the law and created an exception. Eddie the Ice Cream man and his Colonial Maid were back in business ringing the bell freely and delivering frozen treats to the citizens of Lexington.

Ed Markey spent four summers on the Colonial Maid and his earnings paid his way through Boston College. With a daughter entering her senior year at BC this fall, I wondered aloud if an ice cream truck route might be the answer to this year’s tuition question. Congressman Markey dashed my dreams acknowledging it would be just about impossible to make that happen today.

Although he didn’t see it then, those days on the truck and in a steamy summer selectmen’s meeting room, would set a tone for his life “connecting with his constituency and fighting for their rights. Beginning with something as simple as ice cream, Ed Markey has always been a champion of the people. And, some of those who fought the first good fight with him still reach out to him. “When I march in the Patriot’s Day Parade I have former ice cream customers, now adults with their own kids, who run out into the street and say, “Eddie the Ice Cream Man do you remember me? And you know, a lot of times I do”

When he talks about those days, you can almost hear Congressman Markey return to Eddie the Ice Cream Man. You can feel the warm summer days, hear the bell ringing, and see the idealistic young statesman when he responds to a question about his favorite ice cream treat from the old days. “That’s tough because you really become a connoisseur of ice cream. It depends on the time of day. In the middle of a 95-degree day there’s nothing more refreshing than a orange juice stick. But you can’t really beat a Strawberry Shortcake or Chocolate Eclair either.”

The ice cream truck may be long gone, but the lessons learned by an idealistic young entrepreneur paved the way for a long and distinguished career in the United States Congress. And, how appropriate is it that included in the many communities Congressman Ed Markey represents, is the Town of Lexington.

By Heather Aveson  |  It’s as timeless as running through the sprinkler, catching fireflies and lazing the day away in a hammock.

The Ice cream truck is an all-American icon. Here in Lexington, the ice cream truck has reached super-star proportions, known simply as Mo’s. Young and old, we all know Mo.

Muhammad Shuheiber, is the legal name behind the smiling man handing out frozen treats by the pool, baseball games and town events. He started out as Mohammad. “I’ve been called Mo all my life, I wanted to be something different,” he says. So he changed his name to Muhammad. But, Mo stuck with him and it seems it always will.

Getting a Start

Mo first came to the US in 1986 from his family’s farm in Jordan. “I came looking for a good education. Our dad worked so hard in his life. The farm our dad left us wasn’t enough. It was a hard life.” he recalls. Mo brought that work ethic with him to Boston. He attended both Salem State and Bunker Hill Community College. Working all the time to support himself and to pay for his education. He made pizzas at the well-known Captain Nemo’s in Kenmore Square, then at the Prudential Center’s Ground Round, he worked his way up from cook to Kitchen Manager/Trainer. “In 1993 they closed to remodel – they offered me to go to another place or get laid off. Because my education was important to me I couldn’t travel, so I got laid off.” he remembers.

That got Mo thinking about working for himself. He bought an old post office van and started selling ice cream out of the back. From the right hand driver side to the empty back lacking any freezers it wasn’t the ideal truck, but Mo made it work. Every day started early picking up blocks of dry ice in Everett to fill coolers and then buying and stocking ice cream treats before heading out onto the streets.

In the spring of 1994 Mo was finishing up classes and driving the truck. It turned out to be the perfect situation. “I had classes two days a week and I took the truck to college. After class I opened it up for all my classmates. They loved it.” Mo remembers with his signature smile.

Mo loved it too. So after graduating with a degree in Computer Information Science, he stuck with it and he’s never looked back. “I graduated, I loved it, I loved the kids.”

Mo’s first full time route was in Burlington. Lexington had been without an ice cream for a while and a local baseball coach he knew thought Mo could change that. So, he spent Memorial Day weekend in town 11 years ago and loved it, so did his customers. “People signed a petition during the weekend. They took the petition to the town and it was approved. I’ve been here every since.”

Kids of All Ages

But just what makes Mo’s ice cream so special? In a word, Mo. As we talk outside the pool, Jasinda Priest and Natalie Maglio, both entering 8^th grade here in Lexington approach the truck. Mo greets them by name and as he reaches into the freezer I ask them about the draw of Mo’s truck. Natalie’s been visiting Mo since 2nd grade. “Mo’s pretty awesome and that makes everything taste better.” Jasinda adds, “I think after the pool everybody wants ice cream.” Within a few minutes, Jaime Lehoux, age 6, and her mom find their way to the truck. Jaime and Mo greet each other like the old friends they are. He asks about her family and her swim lessons. Today, Jaime is going with the watermelon ice and she tells me, “It tastes better here because it comes from Mo.” And how long have they been friends? “I always know Mo.”

Young or old, the sound of an ice cream truck’s bell reaches kids of all ages. On this day, Mo has a date at the Lexington Health Care Center on Lowell St. Dana Nichols is the Director of Nursing. For several years she’s been bringing Mo’s Ice Cream to the Center for family days, staff appreciation celebrations and resident visits. “I have to tell you, you’ll never meet anyone like Mo. When you have dementia, you might forget me, or you, but you never forget the sound of the ice cream truck. Mo touches them, he talks to them, he reminisces with them. It’s a really special day for them when Mo’s here.”

Family

While Mo was busy building a business, both he and his family back in Jordan were beginning to wonder about the rest of his life. “I was 35. I needed a wife. I wanted a house and a family. I couldn’t do that working for someone else. I did this in the summer and drove a cab in the winter.” So on a visit home in 1996 his family arranged for him to meet a young woman from his village. The families had known each other for years and Mohammad met his wife.

They left Jordan as a newly married couple in August of 1996 and returned to the Boston area. Their first child was born the next June. Even with a new grandchild to show off, he and his wife stayed in the US while she studied for her citizenship exam, which Mo recounts with great pride, she passed easily.

By the time they returned to Jordan for the first time, they brought four grandchildren with them. Their families were ecstatic. “They thought it was the best thing ever.”

Life continued for the family living in Malden with a growing family and Mo working the truck in the summer and driving a taxi in the winter. But after September 11, things changed. “My wife was wearing a veil and when she took the kids to the park she felt fingers pointing at her, she felt discomfort. So she started going to a different park,” Mo says. The experience was a blow to the family. “We’re talking about US citizens here.”

A year later, Mo brought his family back to Jordan to live. He built them a house near the farm he grew up on so they’d be close to friends and relatives. Mo visits for extended periods at the end of the summer and during the heart of the winter. “They miss the beauty of this country. We don’t have this in Jordan. My oldest son is 15 now. Next year, he’ll probably come here and go to high school.”

All the Bells and Whistles

Mo gives me a tour of his current truck. You could say it’s the Cadillac of Ice Cream Trucks. A long way from packing dry ice into coolers, the freezers are fitted with cold plates, which provide three inches of insulation using stainless steel walls filled with coolant piping. Just plug the truck in overnight and the plates stay cold throughout the hottest summer day. The truck also has a pizza oven, a coffee maker and hot dog steamer. But don’t expect an expanded menu any time soon. “I’ll never use those. It’s too hot to keep anything cooking in here.” Mo says shaking his head.

Inside the three icy freezers are the classic ice cream novelties of my childhood, the King Cone, Creamsicle, and Ice Cream sandwich. But tastes change and Mo keeps up with the times. “Every year there are different themes and cartoons. You keep up with the cartoons and listen to what the kids want.” But there are some treats that Mo won’t carry. “The Star Wars, look at it, it has too much coloring in it.” Imagine an ice cream on a stick that’s mostly Darth Vader’s black helmet. Why would you even do that to ice cream? Then there are the ones Mo just can’t understand and can’t imagine anyone wanting. “How can you sell an ice cream called Frozen Toes? In the shape of a foot? I would never carry that. Who do you think would be licking on toes?” I’ve got to agree with him.

So what are his top sellers? Well, there’s a reason they call them classics. Mo says it’s King Cones for the adults, and Italian Ice for everyone with the Bomb Pop coming in a close second. Mo’s favorite? Well it’s another classic. “Mo’s Sunday Special” – a purist’s dream. A few scoops of vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, complete with cherry and for that final touch “colored jimmies”. Take my word for it, delish!

Hazy Days of Summer Yes, Lazy No

He may not have to pick up and pack dry ice, but the days still start early and end late for Mo. During the summer months he’ll be at the pool by 8:30am and stay there until early evening when he moves around to the different ball fields or outdoor concerts, returning to the pool by 8:15 to catch his crowd as they leave on hot summer nights. Wait a minute, what about a day off? “My day off is when it rains or the pool closes because of thunder and lightning. It’s a short time during the summer. I have to make the most of it. So I get here by 8:30 and don’t leave until 9pm.” Time off will come when the pool closes and the chill in the air overcomes the desire for frozen treats. Then Mo will say good-bye to the children of Lexington and head home for a visit with his own children.

The long summer hours and time away from family is worth it. He gets so much pleasure from the kids he sees everyday and in return he plants childhood memories that can last a lifetime. And the lesson he teaches is universal.

“I know I’m not going to get rich, but I’m not alone. I’m making a living for my seven kids. I came to this country  “if you really want to work, you can work and you can make it.”

Last year, the Cary Library ranked 6th of 370 libraries in direct circulation (only Boston, Newton, Brookline, Cambridge, and Worcester were higher). Cary was the top circulating library in its population grouping (25,000 – 50,000 residents). Children’s items make up about 4 percent of our overall circulation.

At the Cary Memorial Library Foundation’s annual meeting, she commented on these categories. ” Last year, the Cary Library circulated over 804,000 items.

 Circulation has been steadily increasing and is on pace to increase again this year. If the average cost of those items borrowed were $12.00, it would have cost Lexington residents nearly 10 million dollars to buy what they borrowed. ”

Lexington residents are avid readers; we actually borrowed more than 91,000 items from other libraries last year for use by our residents (we loaned 54,000 items to other libraries for their use). The Circulation Department moves approximately 2 tons of materials in/out each week in these transfers to and from other libraries. Although some gurus point out that the traditional role of the library as a repository for books will disappear in the next decade, it has assumed a new role with the expansion of technology. At Cary, the downloads of eBooks grew by 50% between January and March of this year and by this fall, Koren expects that this service will be compatible with our Kindles.

“Clearly, the field of librarianship has always been tied to technology and the way we catalog, retrieve, and share our information with our patrons has evolved over time, ” Koren remarked. “What has changed for us is that in the past, we had a technology that we controlled and used as a tool for delivering information. As we move forward, we’re going to see new technologies, and we’ll have to figure out how to incorporate them into a construct that works for us. “

Koren stressed that in doing so we will have to deal with issues of privacy, security, copyright, intellectual freedom, and freedom of access. She also spoke about the quality of our youth services and the importance of maintaining a balance between technology and books that inspire their imaginations and build their literacy skills.

Cary is a meeting place, a community gathering spot, and a suburban hangout.

It has become a space where we meet and interact. Its programs are a fundamental and growing component of its task. Koren foresees that its future programming will fall into three general categories:

• Library sponsored – programs developed and presented by our talented staff

• Library as venue – programs offered to the public at the library by outside groups

• Partnerships – programs that are developed by one or more entities that utilize the strengths of both in order to add value to the library.

This is the bulk of the work I did at the Boston Public Library where we had extensive partnerships with the public schools, local museums, and local organizations. This will be a growth area for the Cary Library as we build new relationships with individuals and groups who have access to wonderful programming that could be offered here at the library.”

Jeanne Krieger, the incoming president of the Cary Memorial Library Foundation, points out, “The work of the Foundation and the Friends makes the difference between Cary being a good library and a truly great library. It supports 40% of the adult material budget. Contributions from Lexington residents and firms augment programming and sustain the collection, turning Cary Library into a vibrant community center.”

Koren’s eyes sparkled, as she pointed out that the Foundation’s contribution to the materials budget and its willingness to fund initiatives that help us explore these technologies, and take some risks will make the difference in keeping the Cary Library ahead of the curve.

National Public Radio Host Bill Littlefield will appear at Cary Library Thursday, July 21 at 7:00 p.m. in the Large Meeting Room. From the Boston Red Sox to bodybuilding, from badminton to bowling, Bill Littlefield has covered it all on his longtime National Public Radio sports show, Only a Game. With both humor and gravity, Littlefield covers nearly every aspect of sports: reporting on big time professional and college sports, as well as such offbeat competitions as the “Santa Speedo Run.” On each program, Littlefield not only discusses sports, but also gently reminds his audience that between the winning and losing, there is something essential to learn from athletics about the human experience. Whether it’s a feature about the Bruins’ Stanley Cup victory or a segment about a bunch of neighborhood kids playing a pickup soccer game, Littlefield’s reports reveal his own insight, humor and humanity. Bill Littlefield has been a commentator for National Public Radio since 1984, and the host of Only a Game since 1993. A graduate of Yale University and Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, Littlefield currently teaches in the Humanities Division at Curry College in Milton where he also serves as writer-in-residence. He is the author of several books including his most recent, Only a Game. In addition to writing books and essays, Littlefield has regularly contributed commentaries to The Atlanta Constitution, The Los Angeles Times, and Newsday. Bill Littlefield has won six Associated Press Awards, and has been celebrated as one of Boston’s “Literary Lights” by the associates of the Boston Public Library. Cary Library is excited to host Bill Littlefield, one of our MVPs (Most Valuable Presenters!) Please join us. The event is free and open to the public. Space is limited. Seating will be on a first come, first serve basis.