Trash Day Paranoia

Friday is the normal trash pickup day here in old Woodbridge in Detroit. Yet on weeks where there's been a Monday holiday it's pushed back to Saturday. The reason, I presume, is so that the companies (Detroit trash pickup is contracted out) don't have to give holiday pay to their workers. I don't know if I'd like that as an employee. Sure, you get a three day weekend like many others. Yet it's followed by a one day weekend; you work ten days out of eleven. But like Thomas Sowell says, there are no solutions. Only tradeoffs.

So anyway, we typically put our trash out Thursday after 6 because the trucks may come anytime after 7 AM Friday, and they have been early. Remember this is a contractor, not a city worker as I've allowed. Time means something to them. Yet I didn't put ours out yesterday because pickup shouldn't be until Saturday.

In taking my walk around the neighborhood early this morning I noticed a fellow had his trash and recycling cans out. He must have missed the memo.

Pretty soon thereafter I saw to the side of the road more receptacles, along with those large brown paper bags of lawn refuse. You-all are too early, I told myself very proudly.

Then I realized that more than half the residences had their stuff by the curb (I should spell it kerb so I can sound English - look it up) and paranoia grew within me. Did I miss the memo?

Upon arrival back at home I hastily gathered the trash and set out the eight bags of lawn debris I had accumulated during the week. The trash collectors had better come today.