Dear Editor:
I was quite taken aback when my three-year old son and I stopped at Church Square Park last week to buy a Mr. Softee ice cream cone. The proprietor asked if I would sign his petition. Petition I thought to myself, for what? He explained to me that there are a couple of mothers who are demanding that Mr. Softee leave his post spot at the park where he sells hundreds of cones each week because “the fumes are harming the children.” Let’s get real here!
Please tell me you’re kidding. Mr. Softee has been around for decades and will continue to be here long after I’m gone and you’re gone too. Next, you’re going to tell us that people should not drive automobiles in Hoboken, lest the fumes harm their precious offspring! Give us a break. I don’t know of any child who suffered from lung disease because they inhaled Mr. Softee truck fumes during their childhood while playing in the parks.
What really concerns me though is the fumes that come from the dogs in the doggie parks. I’m more concerned about the germs festering from that situation. Now that’s a real problem. Doggie poop all over the grass. Have you taken a stroll through Columbus Park lately? I was appalled to witness nearly 10 pet owners playing with pooches while children are around playing and having fun in the middle of the day. Now that’s a real problem. And then the dogs that are unleashed by their owners I always wonder will the dog charge me or my children.
Mr. Softee, thank you for the service you’ve provided to us all these years. I look forward to hearing your tune and cooling off with a cold slushy!
C. Dyson-Colon