TODAY WAS AN EMOTIONAL DAY!!!

 

Today was an emotional day for me.  Yesterday, I cleaned the entrance ramp from Arlington to I-76, and I asked Keep Akron Beautiful to pick up the bags and other stuff.  I received an email from Jacqui, thinking it was going to be a big thank you, and instead it was almost a scolding.  She said Keep Akron Beautiful gets paid to clean all the ramps, and she doesn't want me to clean them anymore, because it's too dangerous. 

EVERY PLACE I CLEAN IN AKRON IS DANGEROUS.

I was feeling confused about that, and it was raining, so I almost stayed home, but I didn't.  I went to Wilbeth & Main, because a friend told me it was a mess.  And it was a mess.

First, I found this big comforter and sheets, all poopy and wet and heavy.  I had to hold my nose and take those to the dumpster first. 

I went back to that spot, and I found a box of gross stuff.  All kinds of awful things in a wet box that fell apart when I tried to pick it up.  

I took my bag out of my cart and got everything in the bag, and took it to the dumpster.  Ick!

I went back to that same spot again, and I found two glass jars of something awful.  

There were no bottoms in the jars, so I fished around in the yuck with my trash grabber to find the glass.

And the stuff was all over my trash grabber!  Ick again!

I remembered there was a puddle in the parking lot, so I went over there and swished my trash grabber around to clean it off.

Thank goodness that worked. 

Then I went over the to cardboard box trash can, which always seems to be overflowing, and I took it to the dumpster and emptied it, and then put it back where it was.  

(A cardboard box is such a terrible idea, but at least they're trying.)

I crossed the street, and I found a dollar on the road.  

That was the first good thing that happened tonight.

And then I found a yo yo wedged in the cement wall at the corner. 

How can you not be happy when you find a yo yo?

I walked around the building on the corner, and left my trash cart at the light, and I found more trash than my bucket could hold.  

(I'm getting so good at holding five smashed cans and my bucket at one time!)

While I was waiting to cross the street, I found a screw on the road.  This is why I pick up trash.  I prevented a flat tire tonight.  (Maybe mine.)

I was thinking about what Jacqui said while I picked up trash.  I don't think anyone can tell me where I can pick up trash.  If I drive by an entrance or exit ramp and it's all trashed up, I'm going to park my car and pick it up.  I don't know why she was upset with me.  I thought we were all on the same team.  I thought we were all working together. 

She invited me to her big fundraiser.  Maybe I shouldn't go if we're not on the same team. 

I left Main & Wilbeth and went to Wilbeth & Arlington, the pizza corner.  It was all trashed up again, and I just cleaned it two days ago!  But instead of 1,845 pieces, I only picked up 120 pieces.  I think this is how we will keep Akron clean, just keep keep picking up trash when we see it.

I cleaned west on Wilbeth and headed to a dumpster to empty my bag, and I found this big shattered mirror leaning on the fence.  Sharp pieces were all over the parking lot.  

I managed to get it picked up enough to slide it into the dumpster.  It was very heavy.  Why couldn't the person throwing it away do that?  Why would anyone just leave it?

I picked up 2,387 pieces of trash tonight, and I feel good about everything I'm trying to do for my community.