Life is Beautiful

Thursday night, towards the end of my 'walk', I ran into a couple who had just gone shopping at Price Rite. They brought their shopping cart up to W.B Street and were waiting for the bus. I asked if they planned on leaving the cart there and they said yes. I asked why they would do that and they said I shouldn't worry because Price Rite would come by and pick it up later. Their shopping bags were too heavy to carry all the way to the bus stop. okay. whatever.
I explained that we were working really hard to keep our neighborhood clean and I hoped this cart wouldn't end up like the other cart down the street that has been there for weeks, collecting all sorts of random trash.

So I continued on. I walked up Huntington and a neighbor came out and gave me a new pack of trash bags. He had done the same thing a few times last summer. Just when I start losing all hope...someone goes and does something really beautiful. Thank you. I still didn't get your name. But, Thank you!



Friday I was on Boardman Street, picking up trash, and I met a new friend. Marta Maria. (Roll the R's.) Sweet sweet woman. She said she had just gotten home from work after a 13 hour shift. She's seen me walking around the neighborhood the last few days and as much as she wanted to go right to bed she had to at least help me clean her front yard. We chatted for a while as we picked up all the litter together and when it was time for me to move on she gave me her glove. I promised I'd have a beer with her one of these days.



Saturday I tackled Strands, or rather, if you're facing Strands Ski Shop, the area to the left. I've been debating for days how to deal with this area. It's so bad that I normally just pick up a few things and keep going. I've thought about involving the City, or maybe sending threatening letters to the owners. I imagined collecting all the trash and piling it in front of their door.

Finally, I decided that I needed to change my attitude. I stopped looking at them like they were the enemy. I don't know why they've stopped caring, or if they ever did care... but I think, like Recks mentioned, their not cleaning their property could be a silent protest, a big FU to the city. I think, after years and years of people throwing trash on their property, they've just given up.
I figured instead of attacking them I would help them. Sometimes, if you want something done, you need to just do it yourself. So I did.

I was working away, filling bag after bag. I turned and saw this man who looked like Santa Claus, standing, watching me. I asked if he lived there and he said yes. I introduced myself and apologized on behalf of all the people who have thrown their shit on his property. We talked for a while and he helped by carrying the bags over to the dumpster. He worked till the dumpster was full. I had to stop, only because it started getting dark. But I'll be back ....