Summary
You can't get Ben & Jerry's Peace Pops from Mr. [Ding-a-Ling], but [Akoni Bessette] serves up lots of cookie-dough "shots" and "screwballs" -- cherry slushed ice with bubblegum at the bottom. He even carries "Frosty Paws" for dogs. Approximately 30 varieties fill up the truck's immaculate silver freezers. There's more where that came from in leased freezer space at Burlington Foods.
The feeling's mutual. Twice a week Bessette works the New North End, including Northgate, which he says is "huge." Enthusiastic doesn't begin to describe the attitude of the former salesman and day-care worker whose favorite words are "awesome" and "buddy." "I love this job," is his mantra. "At first I was really embarrassed," he recalls, "but then you see the first kid come out. Then the whole neighborhood comes out. It's so cool.""They have my cell number," Bessette says with a chuckle. Which is good, because he and his partners plan to keep on ding-a-linging in Vermont through Halloween. There's a seven-day Caribbean cruise in their future, too, and maybe a small store in Colchester. On a profitable June evening, Bessette isn't ruling out any winter projects. He's right at home cruising the now-familiar streets and observing, "I could always deliver pizza."See the full content of this document
Extract
Edible Complex; Frozen in Time?
The Nutty Buddy has shape-changed into the "Choco-Taco." The space-age Rocket Pop is now the red-white-and blue "Firecracker." Other than packaging, and his tattoos, though, the ice-cream man looks and sounds very much like he did in the Pavlovian past.
Akoni Bessette is Mr. Ding-a-Ling, and he's happily plying Burlington's sweetest...See the full content of this document
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