I got a little reprimand from the trash collector the other day – a sticky note strategically stuck to the top of our garbage bin. Apparently I had parked the organics bin too close to the bin containing our garbage and the collector refrained from collecting. I had to wheel our almost full garbage bin back into the garage where it will wait for two weeks for a second chance to make its journey to the dump.
I’m a little miffed at the collector. I’m also a little miffed at the city. I don’t remember being offered a course on bin placement when they issued our new color coded bins. I do, however, remember paying my property taxes. I had no idea there was a placement protocol — but I do know my garage is going to smell decidedly more funky by the time the trash is collected again.
We are on a schedule here in the burbs. Trash gets collected biweekly, the organics weekly and the recyclables on the off week of the biweekly trash pick up. It can get a little confusing if you’ve happened to throw out the official schedule that was enclosed with the tax remittance form. I generally take our cue from the neighbors. If the house at the corner gets confused, chances are pretty good the entire street will be thrown off.
But I wasn’t confused this week. I dutifully rolled our bins to the end of the driveway, double checking the neighbor’s bins, and quietly patted my own back for guessing correctly in dim light of an early autumn morning. I walked back into the house and carried on with my day. I heard the garbage truck roar by and made a mental note to roll the bins back to the garage when I took the dogs out for their walk.
I guess I’m thankful that the organics truck hadn’t made a timely appearance – the green bin was still exploding with its deposit of leaves, the two giant paper bags still wilting beside it. I went out with the intention of lifting the paper bags into the empty garbage bin to save the collector getting out of the truck to do the same (I’ve been told they appreciate the gesture if you leave the lid open so they can determine the contents of the bin from the drivers seat). In lieu of an empty bin I discovered my sticky reprimand.
This is the first time I have ever failed at parking my bins. One might have thought a consideration might have been in order – a warning. But no, a haughty violation notice stuck securely on the lid of my bin is what I got. I can only imagine the delight of the driver given the power to weld such a ticket. From the looks of the notice the driver debated which of the bins was in actual violation. Waffling between the garbage and organics I’m guessing he opted for the bin he would get to leave behind, thus teaching this particular homeowner a smelly lesson.
Lesson learned.