They're Baaack!

One thing I love about living in Clovis are the bi-yearly community clean-up days. Twice a year the city welcomes residents to literally pile anything they like outside at the curb, and then they come through with a skip loader and some trucks and clean it all up. Genius! It's nice not to have to worry about dump runs. The one downside to the process is that for the two weeks (or more) leading up to the actual day, the neighborhood looks like one big landfill. I never like to invite anyone over during these weeks, since to do so means that they see pile after pile of yard clippings, old appliances and kids toys (the three most popular items). By the end of the two weeks, we're ready for our curbs back!

But because there are these two weeks of "landfill time," there's also this curious phenomenon of people who cruise around and pick at the piles. Last year I blogged about them as well, calling them "crap collectors," "garbage grabbers," and "leftover looters." Whatever you call them--and this year I've gone with "trash trollers"--I love watching them at work! They swing by in a minivan or maybe a massive pick-up, survey your gear, then load up the winners.

Yesterday I put out my pile. The first version of the pile looked like this (by the way, can we appreciate the order to that pile--the nicest pile of trash on my street, proud to say!).


The pile out, I began to watch and wait. What would go first? My money was on the table. But maybe the half sheet of drywall? The old tool holder? The black shelving?

They went with the shelving. In under 10 minutes, it was gone. Later, I put out an old TV and it was gone in less than 5. Upon waking this morning, it's almost all gone except for the old water heater, the bucket of old BBQ rocks and, strangely, the tool holder.

I think for next year I'm going to put out the pile and then watch for our trollers to come by. When they do, I'm going to interview them and get their picture. "Why'd you take this cinder block, sir?" "What are you going to do with that old hoola hoop, maam?" "Would you all pose next to your Chevy Suburban full of my cast-offs? Smile!"

I think it would make for a good coffee table book...or maybe a reality show?!?