Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Fisticuffs

I almost got into a fist fight with our trashman this week. I was eating lunch on my front deck when the guy showed up next door. I smiled and said hi as he picked up the neighbor's trash. He pulled up to my house, emptied my "yard waste" bin into his truck and discovered someone had inadvertantly put a sack of trash into the "yard waste only". Without comment he threw the bags, (3) onto the street and drove away. I thought about it for a moment giving myself a chance to become completely incensed, then I piled into my truck and barreled after the trash truck, chasing him down our little dead-end street. I found him around the corner.
I got out and said, "You know, you have no right to just throw trash in the street!" He shrugged. "It wasn't yard waste," he said. I persisted.
"There's such a thing as common courtesy!" Another shrug. By now I've reached the rant stage. "I mean you saw me sitting there, you could have said something."
"It wasn't green," he repeated.
"Well, you have no right and I'm going to report you!" I said snapping pics of his truck. Again with the shrug. The next day I spent an hour on the phone trying to reach someone to report this jerk to. I've been lost in a call center abyss ever since and I'm now trying to remind myself what the issue is.
Some days it's not easy being a fierce amazonian 65 year old.

5 comments:

Katie Bowen said...

I feel your pain.

Love,

Your fierce amazonian 44-year-old sister.

CJGallegos said...

Thanks, Katie. Power to the people!

Anonymous said...

Dear Gramma, I loved the trash-man story.I liked the part where you put your fist up and hollered. I know it wasn't fair to just throw the trash on the street, you should of popped him one in the nose. Love C.C.

CJGallegos said...

Now you're talkin' C.C!

Simple Recipes said...

I agree with C.C.!!!