Garbage Day

Tomorrow is garbage day in my neighborhood which includes recycling. The six year old across the street is commissioned by his family to broker the recycling bin down the driveway and to the corner. Not an easy task for a youngster who is slightly smaller than the tall bin. He succeeds in his journey by only halfway when the bin falls and the two-week refuse is released with excess liquid. He ponders the situation for quite awhile for a young mind and even attempts a re-lift but it will not budge. He yells help to his year older brother while I wonder if I should help him but I remind myself that I’m typing so I’m unable to assist.

His brother joins him as they survey the situation as only young minds can do and begin to wish the whole thing away. After that doesn’t work, one sits on top of the fallen bin while the other wipes his feet of the strewn liquid and they both begin to laugh and to laugh and to laugh.

Father walks out and scornfully says to pick up each loose piece of garbage. He lifts up the bin himself and walks back to the house. “That’s why I told you to hold the top,” he says to his now silent sons. (That wasn’t the reason for the fall, but nice try dad.)

In complete silence the loose garbage is returned to the upright bin and placed on the curb for by these two young boys. A solemn silence considering the previous laughter.

An 89 year old told me today that she was standing on a chair in her apartment for some reason when she slipped and fell to the ground. She started to laugh and to laugh.

The garbage bin is ready for pick up and my friend found the strength to get herself off the floor. All three of them laughed at their precarious predicament. All three of them laughed their way to a solution.

I love to laugh. Some people say that I laugh at awkward times. It is not that I don’t take things seriously but a hearty laugh may calm the mind to find a reasonable solution.