2002-08-12 - Big Stinky Truck

Mmm....garbage

Driving home today on the highway in 40'C weather (that's H.O.T. for all ya'll 'Mericans) in my non-airconditioned car, I was cut off by a garbage truck. A big, ol, stinky garbage truck that had garbage flying out the back and hitting my windshield, papers and such. And it reminded me of a part of my childhood....

When I went to grade school I had to walk a few blocks (barefoot, up hills both way). I was usually late getting there because I would stop to collect rocks, or slide on the huge snowbanks in the winter. I'd show up, and press my nose against the window to see all the kids singing "O Canada" and saying the Lord's Prayer (hmmm....maybe THAT's why I never actually learned the words...I digress). Anyways...Mondays in our neighborhood was garbage day. And I was often late on Mondays. Why? I had this obsession of watching the garbage truck "smoosh" the garbage, watching the plastic bags burst as it crushed them, and seeing furniture get busted up. On more than one occasion my mom got a call from the school saying that I hadn't made it to school that morning. She knew I hadn't been abducted, I had just followed the garbage truck around the neighborhood. So, she'd get in the car, find me somewhere along the route, and drop me off at school. Late. And we'd "discuss this after school".

I don't know what the fascination is, but I still love watching the garbage get compacted. However, I could certainly do without the smell.