DOUGLAS, Mass. – On a hot summer day, local beaches were packed with families looking to stay cool, and Tony Martins was there with his ice cream truck to give the people what they want. 

Martins has been patrolling the streets of Central Massachusetts for Juniper Farms Ice Cream for five years, and even though the work can be tedious on a hot summer day, you won't hear any complaints from the retiree. In fact, he's living a dream decades in the making. 

"For 50 years, I've always said when I retire, I want to drive an ice cream truck," Martins said. "You can't find a happier thing on Earth to do."

Martins said one of his sons actually got an ice cream truck gig before he did, but when it came time to retire, he knew he'd be ready to take the wheel. 

"I said 'Holy cow, how did that happen? My dream job, and he gets it?" Martins joked. 

His truck doesn't have air conditioning, and he can't keep the freezer open too long or all of his ice cream sandwiches will turn into soup. But Martins doesn't mind the heat. The window is his air conditioner. And on particularly hot days like Monday, he can park at a local beach instead of roaming the streets. There were plenty of customers at Wallum Lake Beach in Douglas. 

"People don't want to come out when it's really, really hot. They want to stay inside, where it's cooler," Martins said. "But this is a beautiful spot, Wallum Lake. The trees, the shade, the breeze coming off the water. It's a great way to spend the day." 

Martins' love for the job boils down to the pride he takes in making people's day a little better. A sign on his truck reads "Be the reason someone smiles today."

Ensuring he can make people happy, however, also means ensuring their favorite ice cream is in stock. 

"SpongeBob is number one," Martins said. "Good, old SpongeBob. That's the only stress I have during the day. 'Am I going to run out of SpongeBob today?'"

And while some aspects of being an ice cream man have changed over the years – Martins now accepts Venmo for payment – he enjoys the nostalgic feeling he gets from living out this decades-long dream. His customers appreciate it too. 

"I can't tell you in the course of a day how many people say it reminds them of when they were a kid," Martins said. "You know, when we were kids, the ice cream man would come around playing the music, and here I am doing the same thing 50 years later. It's great." 

Martins urges people to say hello and wave if they see an ice cream truck this summer, even if they're not buying anything. 

"Go out, wave and be happy," Martins said. "That's the name of the game."