DEWEYVILLE, Texas — A Southeast Texas ice cream truck driver is continuing to jingle down the road to sell his frozen treats.
It's a job that brings Terrell Reed, and others, joy in these uncertain times. Recently, however, he's hit a bit of a snag with different counties' stay at home orders.
Some folks don't see him as an essential worker, while others have rallied behind him.
Reed started selling ice cream about 19 years ago. He has permits to work in Beaumont and Hardin and Orange Counties.
"Basically I just go through the neighborhoods, try to make all the kids and everyone happy, a lot of times I get a lot of calls that I can't reach to everyone, but I try to get as many as possible," Reed explained.
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Reed has been getting a lot of calls lately with kids being out of school.
"I normally start off with a route, but if someone calls me and I'm close, I break my route off to go and try to put a smile on someone's face, and then I go from there," he said.
While most people, especially those in Deweyville, have shown him a lot of support for what he's doing, some have pushed back. Tuesday, he got a call to go to Buna as he was leaving Deweyville, but his trip was cut short.
"On the way out an officer pulled me over, and said that he had got a call saying that I was 'selling ice cream, when someone had a snow cone stand couldn't operate, why was I able to operate'" Reed said.
Reed says even under a stay at home order, he falls under essential retail because he's delivering goods to people's homes. He says ice cream is just as essential as the liquor stores that are also allowed to remain open. Reed has also gotten push-back for selling a wine-based popsicle. However, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission determined these products are classified as food products.
"Everything that I got is pre-packaged, and everything that I sell is approved," Reed said.
After Reed was stopped, several of his customers rallied behind him in a Facebook group known as "what's up Deweyville," to try to help. He says it feels great to see.
"A lot of them are thankful for me being able to get out and provide a service for them," he said.
Reed wears a mask and gloves while distributing the ice cream, and asks that all of his customers stay at least six feet apart while waiting their turn.
Reed is hoping to figure something out with Newton County officials. He hopes to continue to offer his services as long as he can.
"I'm just happy and glad that I can put a smile on the kids faces, as well as adults, cause adults like ice cream also," Reed said.
Reed can be reached at (409) 998-5219