It's garbage day here in Farmington. But not any garbage day -- bulk collection day, when they let you throw out anything that's not radioactive or full of heavy metals.
The odd thing about this is what people throw away -- and what other people do with things people throw away.
First, the curbsides: All kinds of usable stuff, stuff that really could or should be donated or resold. Children's toys in working order, decent furniture, storage units, charcoal and gas grills, housing materials (windows, molding, lumber), the list goes on. It's an interesting illustration of our throwaway society, and I don't seek to indict or single out my new home town because lots of other folks throw away perfectly good stuff, too, all over this country.
But here's the interesting part.
After said stuff was placed on said curbs yesterday, I noticed lots of pickup trucks and vans trolling the neighborhood.
Federal agents?
Would-be thieves?
No, garbage pickers! It was trick-or-treat consignment shop weekend, and the dealers were out "shopping" for the best stuff. We drove around town yesterday and saw this elsewhere, too.
I've seen folks rummaging through the trash for bottle deposits -- in Pittsfield and in Boston -- but this was the first time I ever saw Dumpster-diving antique dealers.
I wonder how much the old desk we put out will fetch -- despite the fact it's broken?
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