Trash Picking

A good friend pointed out that I've not yet mentioned the rewards of Trash Pick'N. As friends and neighbors before our moves to different parts of the country, this friend often competed with me in seeing who could pick the neighborhood trash first.

Let me just say, that the people on our road back then threw the best stuff away! I remember netting all kinds of treasures. There was an exerciser, several bikes, 3 tables, a set of chairs, numerous cool toys, and I can't even remember what all else. Countless times I would slip back after dark on the night before trash day to check out something I saw. I thought I was so slick. My husband would just laugh, and if he insisted on coming with me, I had to be wary of him flicking on the headlights while I was still "picking".

But, the funniest thing was when a new young neighbor actually called me to ask if I were going to pick up the beautiful wooden highchair down the street, or if she could get it!! And here I thought I was being discreet!

Seriously, though, people throw away usable items all the time. Why not pick them up?? If there is any doubt about whether it is trash, though, please knock on the door, swallow your pride, and ask about it.

I remember another good friend of mine whose lawn mower died out by the road. She was going to have her husband help push it back up to the house when he had the time. But, before he could do so, the mower disappeared! OUTRAGED that someone would STEAL their mower, she shared the story with me. I explained the common understanding among locals that if you leave something out by the road, people assume it is trash.

In disbelief, she made a sign and posted it out along the road. It read something like this (I can't remember the exact words). "Will the person who STOLE our mower, please RETURN it. It was not TRASH!" She said the next day a humble man, who happened to repair mowers as a hobby, knocked on her door to apologize. He then unloaded the mower (now partially disassembled) in the middle of the driveway and left! I still laugh when I think of that poor man.

Back to trash picking. Sadly, the neighborhood I now live in must be more frugal in what is discarded, because I rarely see the "good stuff." But I do still look. Just this week, I saw a set of lawn chairs out with a family's trash cans and I thought about going back and checking them out, but alas, I waited too long, and they are now sitting by another neighbor's campfire ring.

You snooze, you lose!

I would love to hear what things you've snagged from the trash lately! Post a comment and encourage the rest of us Trash Pickers!