Eight scoops

Knox College President Roger Taylor and his wife Ann Taylor discovered last week that former Attorney General John Ashcroft is a considerate houseguest with a large sweet tooth for ice cream.

On April 22, their close friend the Honorable Samuel Der-Yeghiayan picked up Ashcroft and his wife from the O’Hare Airport in Chicago Ill. and drove them to Galesburg. After Ashcroft’s speech and the subsequent question and answer session, the Ashcrofts visited the Taylor residence.

When Roger Taylor asked John Ashcroft if there was anything he would like, Ashcroft responded that he had a taste for ice cream. Since the Taylor freezer was lacking in the ice cream department and Kastle Kreme was closed for the night, the Former Attorney General the United States and the President of Knox College made a trip to Walgreens. Once inside the Walgreens, Taylor attempted to buy some Haagen-Dazs, but John Ashcroft requested Breyer’s ice cream instead, saying that Haagen-Dazs was too expensive and that Breyer’s ice cream was simply better. Ashcroft had the final say, and the Breyer's ice cream was purchased.

Back at the Taylor household, Roger Taylor undertook the task of “dipping” the ice cream for his guests. Ashcroft requested a larger dish for his ice cream and was given a soup bowl with eight scoops of ice cream. Then, over ice cream, Ashcroft shared anecdotes and stories of his time in office as the Attorney General. He also spoke very highly of two Knox alumni of the class 1964 Bruce Johnson and Frank Cottrell, with whom he attended law school at the University of Chicago. Ashcroft said that Johnson and Cottrell were individuals of intelligence and integrity.

Before retiring for the night, John Ashcroft insisted upon rinsing the ice cream dishes and placing them in the dishwasher.