Dumpster Diving

Barney and I were walking along, minding our own business, when we stumbled upon a pair of shoes. Mens shoes that were the kind that should be buffed with shiny black shoe polish, lined up very nicely together on the side of the road. They were old and battered, and clearly had been thrown out...except for how they were lined up together so nicely. The way one puts such nice shoes as those had once been in their closet. Or by the front door.

But thrown out they had been. They struck us as curious and we just stared at them for a moment. Then, out of nowhere, I picked them up and took them with us. I have never picked up other's trash before. I don't know what struck me to pick these up, but pick them up I did.

Back at the hotel, I wrote a note. "Dear AAA, I know how much you like to have your shoes shined and polished. But that is not a service that the hotel provides, and they were quite offended that you asked them to do it for you. In fact, in a humpf, they threw your shoes out on the street. I was kind enough to retrieve them for you, but humbly ask that from now on, you shine your shoes yourself. Thank you." I stapled the note to a bag that contained the shoes, and went to the front desk, explaining that I was playing a joke on a friend, and could they please give this bag to AAA in room ***.

Several days later, I entered the office to find a bag addressed to me, with some terrible smelling dress shoes and a note about how every girl needs a pair of the perfect shoes for that special evening. Thus it began.

I found a pair of broken glasses and gave them to Rattlesnake girl with a whole story of apology about this man who broke her glasses. I found a painter's ladder and gave it to the Resident Artist. I convinced one of the guys to pull a dirty old lamp out of a dumpster to give to the guy who is always reading. The youngest friend got a Hello Kitty purse that was lying on top of a dumpster. One of the best finds was an old typewriter in a case--and it still works! Mgirl who got it loved it so much she took it back to the states with her.

On the Tour de France day, the entire city of Marseille had metal blockades up to keep the roads clear. On each one were beautiful white, felt signs that said "Marseille" with the official symbol of the city on them. I went up to a policeman and asked if I could take one. He said, "Well, I can't tell you if you can take one or not, but I am not watching you." He turned his back to me. I walked away and figured, "I'm not going to take it unless I know for certain I am not stealing from the city." He looked back at me and said, "Well, are you going to take it or not?" I explained that I didn't want to break the law and steal from the city, and he told me it was not stealing, I wasn't breaking a law...he just couldn't watch me take it.

So I took one.

I also took an official "this road will be closed because of the Tour de France" sign. And a bright lime green sink. And a broken DVD player. And a broken chair. And a compressor to a motorbike. And more! I will never walk by dumpsters the same.

My friends, to celebrate my dumpster diving, found me something as well. I am now the proud owner of a SKI that will be mounted next to my Alps sign in my future home, to commemorate the summer that I gave gifts found by side of the road.

One man's trash is another person's treasure, right?