Big Item fun day!!

We have this special day in our city that is coveted and respected by all the true bargain basement trash diggers...it is called big item pick up day!! This yearly event is designated free pick up of any unwanted large items by the city. And yes my friends, this is the day that all good dumpster divers find the largest vehicle they can and begin combing streets at dusk looking to peruse, grab and reuse any and all treasures alike.

I have had many fond memories on this special holiday. My girlfriend and I have nearly peed our pants trying to scurry from our truck and haul giant useless items into our vehicle with some sort of class and dignity while the family from which we were "borrowing" sat in lawn chairs on their driveway drinking beers and laughing.

Yes, it is humbling taking other peoples trash. Especially if they are watching. This is why we usually wear all black and pull baseball caps way over our eyes. It feels so sneaky. Then you can't really tell if they are watching you. You can drag the trash away with some sort of dignity.

The prize for the best team effort in reusing items went to the carload of children driven by grandmother and mom. They had 4 kids that would scamper out of the vehicle with head lamps on and search through the various items holding up specific goods to be reviewed by the mom/grandmother team in the car. If the older team felt the younger crew had come upon a high dollar item they would throw the car into reverse pop the trunk and start throwing the wares into the back end. I have never seen a more efficient use of a child.

This once a year event is really a hoot. I love driving around watching people dig and haul and pull and tug all sorts of things from other people's curbs. We have found headboards, rocking chairs, coolers, mini tramps, typewriters, yard toys and so much more. All sorts of treasures!! Sometimes under closer discrimination we have found the imperfections and realized that they should be thrown back on our curb for pick up only to see one of our kind snag it from our own driveway!! It is such a game.

I am in a dilemma this year. My whole extended family will be in town during the annual grab another guys trash day. :( How can I possibly leave them to drive aimlessly through the streets of town looking for bargain trash? Especially when one family member thinks shopping at Target is low rent!! This my friends, has me in a quandary. How can I possibly miss the best trash day of the year??? Guess I may have to get incognito and head out to "get some milk"! Look for me...I am wearing my headlamp this year!!