A Bizarre Redistribution

Two times a year in our city there is this "community clean-up day." For the two weeks leading up to the day, you can unload basically any and all household rubbish you want at your curb, and then these city dudes come by with a tractor or three and pick it all up. What I love about it is no trips to the dump. What bugs me about it are the piles of garbage that accumulate and leave you longing for the magic day to arrive every time you drive into your 'hood.

But you want to know the weirdest, most surreal part of the process? There are these scavengers who drive the city and troll for goodies. We'll call them "crap collectors." And it is a continual thing. Today, for instance, I saw this husband and wife team in a huge truck, a F9000 or something, pulling a freakin' trailer and collecting...stuff. TVs, high chairs, mattresses, bikes, microwaves...it's this wild redistribution system. Cast off your crap and it becomes another's treasure. And then they probably put it out next time for someone else to find.

Today I made my pile (above). In there is an old bathroom mirror. I put it out at 4:40pm this afternoon. I bet it's gone in 24 hours...I'll keep you posted.