Lemon Popsicle

Set in the summer of 1958 in Tel Aviv, three teenage boys at the Shalva Gymnasium high school—Benji, Bobby, and Huey—spend their days hanging out at the Montana Ice Cream Shop, trying to carve out a sense of freedom in a growing city. The arrival of a beautiful new girl, Niki, reshapes their dynamic and catches Benji’s eye, setting off a quiet storm of desire, loyalty, and fear of losing their friendship.

Benji is drawn to her, but Bobby makes it clear he intends to pursue Niki as well, boasting that he will win her over and then discard her. Benji, who is deeply tethered to his friends, finds himself torn between stepping in to protect Niki and risking the bond that holds the trio together. The tension comes to a head when a night of drinking and confusion leads Benji to drink heavily, and Huey must drive him home, revealing the fragility of their carefree summer.

The next day brings a surprising intrusion of desire into ordinary life. Benji sells ice at the shop, and a customer calls him to visit Stella, an older Olah who exudes a magnetic pull. Stella tries to seduce him, and though Benji initially resists, a plan to visit her with Bobby and Huey develops. The evening turns into a hedonistic escapade: after whisky and dancing, the trio drift into Stella’s room and each spends time with her. When it becomes Benji’s turn, a disruption occurs as Johnny the Sailor enters, forcing the group to flee. Huey, in particular, escapes in his underwear after a chaotic scuffle, leaving a mark on their summer that they will carry forward.

Weeks later, Bobby asks for the keys to his grandmother’s apartment so he can bring Niki there, and Benji promises to arrange it. That evening, at the ice cream shop, Benji confesses that his mother hid the keys, and Bobby abandons his plan with Niki to regroup with the friends. The trio then joins Ricki at her place, a visit that also highlights the complexities of their sexual awakenings as all three boys contract pubic lice and must seek treatment at the pharmacy.

As the semester winds down, a classmate Froi’ka shares that Bobby has taken Niki to sail on the Yarakon river and that their plans involve more intimacy. Bobby later recounts his time with Niki to Benji, testing the boundaries of their friendship once more.

In the final moments of the year, Benji witnesses Niki arguing with Bobby after the end-of-year ceremony and discovers she is pregnant. He stands by her, lending support as he confronts the heartbreak of impending loss. He pays for the abortion with his own money, sells his bike, borrows from his boss, and even digs into his savings to provide for her, bringing Niki to stay at his grandmother’s apartment for a few days while they navigate what comes next. Benji’s declaration of love to Niki leads to a kiss, and he plans to attend her birthday party the following Monday. He buys a precious gold heart pendant engraved with “To Niki with Love” as a symbol of his affection, but when he arrives at the party, he finds her in the kitchen, cuddling with Bobby. The sight shatters him, and he leaves heartbroken, walking away to the melancholy strains of the song Mr. Lonely.

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 12:36