The Garbage Man.

Garbage day is Wednesday. It has been ever since we moved into our home in Columbus. Sure, we have the big garbage bins in the alley that we are to share with the neighbors but I like to take my trash out on Wednesday morning, knowing that it is gone and nobody has an opportunity to go through it. I have even taken my garbage to a friend's house in Grove City after the garbage was collected a day earlier. 11 bags of stuff from my basement sat in their garage until their garbage day. I am a nut.

Why do I take time out of my busy day to write about the garbage man? Because it has become a big joke to me. I know that he doesn't know me or even care but I found myself laughing out loud this morning as he sat in the alley facing my kitchen window.

He came yesterday. Tuesday. 6 a.m. I heard the familiar sound of the arm lifting the garbage can up, trash emptying, and the arm lowering the can. Brakes squeak, truck shifts and he slowly heads to the next stop. I stammer. I wonder if I could get dressed quickly enough to beat him to the next stop or even the next?

So today, as I am baking, cooking and cleaning, I look in the alley and there he sits. Really, just sitting. I ponder. Can I make it? Is he collecting today? It's Wednesday and he came yesterday. Has it become a game to him too? Can he see me looking out the window at him? Is he waiting to pull away as he sees me collecting the goods?

The big yellow truck. I am in my PJ's as are my kids but I am determined to get the trash out. Quickly we grab coats, shoes and bags and fly out the door. My son hears him moving and my daughter and I laugh as we sprint to catch him. Nathan heaves the bag into the bin and garbage man honks the horn and gestures for us to throw the rest in the back of the giant compactor. Still we laugh, sweat and run!

WE MADE IT!!!!

I wonder what's in store for next week?