THIS WAS A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR ME!

 

I wasn't going to pick up trash tonight.  My hand has been hurting, and I definitely overdid it last weekend, but it was nice and cool.  I thought I would go back to Brown & Cole and try to clean up the mess I've been driving by.  I knew there was a broken chair.  I saw it every time I passed by.  Seems like somebody would get rid of it.  But a chair isn't easy to get rid of.

I managed to get it in my trash cart, somewhat balanced so my cart didn't fall over, and I could still pull the handle.  It wasn't easy, but I kept it in there long enough to get back to my car.  I put it in my car so I didn't have to keep hauling it around.

As I went north on Brown, these two adorable little kids came running up to me.  One said, "Can I help you pick up trash?"  I told them, "Thank you so much, but I think I have it all picked up."  So they ran away.  

About a minute later, here they came again, only this time, there were four of them.  One said, "Can we help you pick up trash?  We know who you are.  Your name is Debbie, and you clean the Wilbeth!"

I said, "That's so nice of you!  I remember you!"

They followed along with me, talking nonstop.  Kids are such a joy.

I try to remember to look up when I pick up trash.  It's not always on the ground.  Sometimes it's in the bushes.  

This was an extra large cup of Circle K coffee, still full!

And this was all kinds of stuff!  A Circle K styrofoam cup, and a bag with a phone, a belt, and I don't know what else.  In the bushes?  That's crazy!

The kids left, but they returned, and now there were six of them!  One little girl said something I couldn't understand.  She repeated it three times, and then I got it.  She said, "Do you want to see a dead squirrel?

I said, "Oh no!  I don't want to see a dead squirrel!  Ick!"

The little boy said, "It's right up here on the sidewalk!  Come see!"

Then the mother interrupted and told them to leave me alone so I could clean, and they ran up their driveway.  They all piled in their car, and I kept cleaning the sidewalk past their house.

Then I saw it.  The dead squirrel.  Right in the middle of the sidewalk!  Ick!

I went past, and turned around, and their car was still at the end of their driveway.  It was just sitting there.  Waiting.  Waiting for me to do something. I never saw so many little heads and eyes in my life!  They were all looking out the window.  Waiting.

So I did it.  

I took my trash grabber and picked up the dead squirrel and put it in my trash bag.  Ick!!!

I waved at the kids and their mother, and I kept on picking up trash like it was no big deal.  I'm pretty sure those kids think I'm a super hero!!!  

Ick!

At the next house, I saw this very unique looking dog.  Wow!  Those eyes would burn a hole through me.

Nobody's going near that porch, including me.

Looking at this gorgeous dog made me forget there was a dead squirrel in my trash bag.

I cleaned all the way to the bus stop.  It was really a mess, but it's not a mess anymore.

I turned around and headed back to my car, and I looked back to see how nice it looks.  

Now this whole area is clean and safe.

And the kids can play on the sidewalk again.

What a great day!