Mortensen’s is an ice cream shop located on the Berlin Turnpike in Newington, CT.
Years ago, Elysha and I brought the kids to Mortensen’s for ice cream for the first time. It’s a quirky place. It originally began as a dairy farm that delivered milk to homes by horse and cart.
The restaurant opened in 1976 and has been going strong ever since, though about a decade ago it transformed from a restaurant into an ice cream-only establishment.
Their dessert case was manufactured in 1941 (a fact they proudly attest to), and several antique items from their dairy farm days are on display.
But my favorite part of the place is the last item listed on their dessert menu:
The Wheelbarrow Sundae.
An immense amount of ice cream.
It was real, though according to our server, it hadn’t been ordered it in “a few years.”
Back in 2013, when we first visited Mortensen’s, I wrote:
“There will come a day, sooner than later, I hope, when I order this item. Who is with me?”
Thirteen years later, I thought it might be time to gather my forces and finally order this item, so I called Mortensen’s to confirm it’s still on the menu.
It’s not.
I can’t believe it.
I’m constantly telling people that “Someday is today!” and we must act now, lest we miss our chance to chase our dreams forever.
I wrote an entire book on the subject.
But 13 years ago, I didn’t abide by my own damn advice, and as a result, my window of opportunity has closed forever.
How depressing and infuriating and soul-crushing.
Let that be a lesson to all of us:
When you’re offered 200 scoops of ice cream, your choice of toppings, “clouds of whipped cream,” and a cherry for the very reasonable price of $199.99, you take it.
Someday is today, damn it.
Nothing is worse than regret.
