That’s Garbage!
One of the first signs of the breakdown of a civilization is when they stop picking up the garbage. Caracas Venezuela used to be a garden spot. It was one of the jewels of South America. Today, it’s much different. There are mountains of trash littering the streets. People rummage through them for food.
Even American cities are not immune to trash heaps. San Francisco is struggling to solve their problem of trash, drug needles and human waste. Seattle is also struggling with issues of trash, especially drug paraphernalia on the streets.
Garbage is a constant in our lives; first world, or third world, or even prehistoric peoples. Much of what we know about prehistoric cultures we learn from their garbage piles.
Today was Wednesday. It’s garbage day in my town. We all have those nice 50 gallon plastic roller bins. As I drove home from work today, I noticed that the garbage guys were running late today. I could tell the cans hadn’t been emptied.
Even on my street, where they are typically pretty early, the cans weren’t empty.
And then I remembered. This week Monday was a holiday. That means that instead of Wednesday, garbage day is Thursday. Even people who remembered, put their cans out on Wednesday just in case they forgot.
I got to take Monday off. I didn’t even get a call. I really got to take it as a holiday. As a salaried employee, I got paid for Monday. I don’t really have to make up my Monday work. The workweek just became four days instead of five.
But, what about the garbage men? Sure, they didn’t work on Monday. But, they didn’t really get to take Monday off. Our town still generated the same amount of garbage this week as any other week. The garbage men now have four days to pick the same amount of trash they normally pick up in five days. A holiday week for them means the same amount of work, just completed in fewer days.
I’m glad I’m not a garbage man. Especially on holiday weeeks, I appreciate what they do.
Rodney M Bliss is an author, columnist and IT Consultant. His blog updates every weekday. He lives in Pleasant Grove, UT with his lovely wife, thirteen children and grandchildren.
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