Thursday, August 06, 2009

ph: Singing An Arabber


Vending Fruit on 36th Street.

One of the last remaining remnants of old Baltimore are the horse-drawn fruit & vegetable vendors. In the last city in America where "Arabbers" still ply their trade, it's a sight that's dwindling and I'm compelled to buy from him just because. Just because we need to keep old traditions like this alive in our country.

Take the Good Humor Man. He's gone. Gone are the days when a guy drove around in a truck jingling reindeer bells. Today you'll find beat up step vans converted into shabby-looking ice cream trucks with electronic jingles blaring down the street.

As for me, I'll take the sing-song cadence of the Arabbers as they call out down the street letting everyone know what they've got in their cart today. Maybe I'll take a cantaloupe, or four.