The Experiment

An experiment to change the taste of a certain food is done. Will it have side effects?

Darlene stared wide-eyed through the window of the ice cream shop.

“Mommy, can I have some ice cream?” Darlene said.

“You know we have reservations at the South Italian Restaurant with grandpa John in an hour,” her mom Cathy said. “Maybe afterwards.”

“Cathy made a half-smile and a chuckle. “You can have a small cone.”

Darlene’s face lit up and the two entered the shop as she ran to the counter.

“What can I get you, little lady?” said a male employee.

“Chocolate chip!”

“Coming up!”

Cathy intervened. “Make it a miniature, please.”

“You know, today is Ice Cream for Breakfast Day?” said the man to Cathy.

“Who came up with that?” said Cathy.

“Don’t know.” The man handed the small cone to Darlene.

“Thanks, sir!”

The two exited and got into white Sudan and Cathy drove to their nearby home.

“If only she liked Italian food as much as ice cream,” Cathy mused.

After watching TV for a short period, they got back into the car and drove to the Italian bistro. Inside, a waiter took them to grandpa John’s table.

“How are you two?” asked John.

Cathy and Darlene sat.

“Fine, dad. Do they serve burgers here? Darlene is finicky over anything Italian.”

“Yes, they do.”

The tall, heavyset man approached the table and took out a pad and pen. “What would you like to start with? Tomorrow is National Fettuccine Alfredo Day.” And we’re having a weeklong special.”

“Three Fettucine Alfredos and a hamburger,” said John.

“Funny-a man at an ice cream shop just told us today is Ice Cream for Breakfast Day.”

Before John spoke, a man in a suite interrupted. “Excuse me, but I heard of your conversation of your daughter’s dilemma. I have a way for her to like Fettucine Alfredo.”

“I’m curious, sir,” said Cathy with a poignant tone.

The man in the suite smiled. “I am Gary Larson.” Gary sat next to Cathy. “My company is developing a way for any food substance to come in the from ice cream.”

Cathy and John glanced at each other. “Seriously?” said Cathy.

“No joke. But we need kids to taste it.”

“Really?”

Gary grinned. “My company decided to do it tomorrow for the day that celebrates both regular food, Fettuccine Alfredo, and ice cream for breakfast.”

“Is it safe?”

“Completely!”

“Amazing! Where do I sign?”

Gary took out an envelope and handed it to Cathy who quickly opened it. She glanced over a contract and signed it with a pen.

“Go to this address at 6 am sharp,” Gary said, giving Cathy a slip of paper.

As Gary left, John was wide-eyed. “Is this amazing or what!” said Cathy to John.

“Sounds…peculiar.”

“He said it was safe.”

“Still.”

After the three ate, Cathy drove home with thoughts of what the next day would entail. It was now 7 pm and almost time for Darlene to sleep.

“Sleep tight, hon.”

After being tucked in, Darlene went to sleep.

In the morning, Cathy roused Darlene. “Time to get up!”

After dressing, the two got into the car and drove the address. She saw a building five stories tall with Larson Foods on it. She parked her car and walked into double-glass doors and was greeted by a male desk clerk. “Are you Cathy?”

“Yes.”

The clerk picked up a phone. “Cathy is here.”

Gary came out of a door, smiling. “Hello! This way please.”

Cathy silently followed Gary through a long corridor and into a room with humming metal machines. A smell of fresh baked bread mixed with pizza and spaghetti with a light odd metallic smell filled the space.

“Please have your daughter sit at that metal table.”

“Sit down, Darlene,” said Cathy.

Darlene obeyed.

“Let us begin with Fettuccine Alfredo, since it is so fitting for this day.” Gary went to a cylindrical machine and pressed buttons on a terminal. Minutes later, a metal dispenser released what appeared to be chocolate ice cream!

“Ice cream for breakfast!”

“Here you go!” said Gary.

She took a lick and spit it out. “Yuck!”

“Hmm…” muttered Gary. “Let’s do some alterations.”

Gary pressed more buttons and more ice cream came out of the machine. “Try this, Darlene.”

Darlene eyed the cone and hesitantly took a quick lick. She paused and looked around. “It tastes a little weird.”

“How long will this take?” asked Cathy.

“Let me make some more alterations. This should work, I think.” Gary pressed more buttons but this time he took a vile of liquid and inserted it into the machine. “This should do it.”

Again, Darlene was handed an ice cream cone. She licked it and smiled broadly. “Yum!”

“Success!” said Cathy. “And this is fettucine alfredo?”

“Indeed! This will change food service itself! After few more test subjects, we will introduce this to the public! Thanks Cathy!”

The two went home with Cathy elated. “We are part of history, hon! I’ll make heat up some frozen waffles.”

An individual ice cream bar fell out of the freezer that Cathy didn’t see come out. With back turned, Darlene opened it and took a bite and spit it out. “This tastes like that noodle stuff!”

Cathy turned and reeled back. “But that is ice cream, hon.”

“It tastes gross!”

“Oh no! The concoction must have permanently changed your taste buds!” Cathy called a number on the contract.

“Hello! I Must speak with Gary Larson! My name is Cathy!” she waited. After telling Gary the situation, Darlene was rushed to the lab and Gary had a theory. “This may still have use. If ice cream is like alfredo, what will alfredo taste like?”

A bowl of alfredo was given to Darlene. She smelled it. “Ice cream!” she said as she dug into the dish. “Yum! Chocolate ice cream!”

“Well, it looks like the project is scrapped. I am so sorry about your daughter.”

“It wasn’t a total loss.” Cathy looked at Darlene as she shoveled the dish up.

Cathy sighed “This will definitely change things.”