Have to Do It, Have to Do It!

[Nouackchott]

I was chewing a cup of ice at work this morning from Burger King when a colleague arrived. She saw me sitting at my desk, dipping a plastic spoon in my cup, and asked what I was eating. I told her, "Ice." She said that she used to do that a lot, but found out it was related to an iron deficiency, and a few days after she started taking an iron supplement, she quit chewing ice.

Well, I do and don't want to stop. I do because it's hard on my teeth, I hate craving something so badly to distraction and dependency, and it annoys my family. I live with my sister and she makes me leave the room when I want to chew ice. I even started her 4-year-old daughter on the habit. I just have to do it, and I think about ice all day long. At home, I have the perfect ice trays; they make small, square cubes that are just the right size for me. I don't like them too big. I like to let them sit naked in my glass and sweat for a few minutes before I eat them, to sort of soften them up. It's heaven, oh my goodness!

As for public ice, Sonic has the best ice, hands down. I like to order a large cherry limeade with extra ice, and after I drink the half cup of beverage, I just crunch to my heart's content. But I find that when I order soft drinks at fast food drive thrus, they never, ever put enough ice in my cup, so I go inside now and fill up my own cup to the brim. I have to travel at least twice per week on business, using my own vehicle, and I have to stop to get a full cup of ice to chew on the ride, or else I won't be able to make it. I'm that obsessed.

Last, I love eating snow. I used to live in Maryland, and I so looked forward to the snowfall every winter. I lived in an apartment complex and after it snowed, I waited as late as I could so as not to attract attention, and went outside to gather a clean patch of snow in my huge plastic bowl. Wouldn't you know that when I went back inside to get on the elevator, two people got on with me and looked at me like I was crazy holding that big bowl of snow. They just stared. I wanted to ask them, "Well haven't you ever eaten snow before?" I said nothing, and got off on my floor licking my lips in anticipation. I eat snow straight, no chaser. Why ruin perfectly good snow with milk and vanilla flavoring?

When I was a kid, my mom had one of those refrigerator/freezers that she'd have to defrost, and it made the best snow. I used to get a 1-cup measuring cup and scrape that freezer ice, dip my spoon in it and go to work, in secret, and forever watching out for my nosy sisters who just wouldn't understand it. I would beg my mom to tell me before she defrosted the freezer so I could load up on the snow. I cried for hours when I came home from school one day and saw this brand new, frost-free Kenmore. I was devastated and my mom didn't understand why I was having hysterics over a refrigerator. I finally confessed to her that I loved to eat the freezer ice that gathered along its walls. She told me that she couldn't do anything about that now, but said that she know what might help ease the loss. We walked together over to the Kenmore and she showed me the automatic icemaker. She held a glass underneath the spout, adjusted the settings, and out came this beautiful, wonderful, slushy, crushed ice. I tasted it and was immediately comforted. My mom said to me, "See now, baby? You can have all you want." God is good.