Garbage Day

Ciao di nuovo! I sit here brimming with joy beyond description, from - it seems such a little thing! - pickup of garbage.

Here everything (tutto) goes in a separate cassonetto, each of which is picked up on a different day. See below, doesn't matter that it's blurry because it's just as bad if not worse in clear focus.

                              

My pickup schedule says 2011. So I email a very nice neighbor, who somehow sneaks into my locked apartment and leaves a 2017 schedule on the table. Nice to know that should a thief come in, I will happily not be aware of the entry.

Only after hearing a sound suspiciously like a garbage truck do I check the schedule, to discover that compost (the smelly one I really want removed) is picked up today! I have learned to immediately up and GO when I think of anything at all, never ponder a circumstance or it will be too late - so I grab and tie my green, smelly bag, dashing down the steep cobblestone driveway to find - an EMPTY brown cassonetto. 😞

Poi (next) I run up what passes for a street toward the sound of the idling garbage truck - - - and there it is! Facing away from me and about to speed off. To stop the driver who just jumped in, I holler "SCUSI!" (having learned that scuzI is for strangers, scusA for friends).  Over the roaring engine he actually hears me, turns around and shouts, "Umido?" I know what that means!! With glee he has likely never seen, I shout "SI!" as I waive the little drippy bag, and he says something which obviously means toss it in the bin - there are two on the back  - and I am able to say "Giallo?" as there are both a yellow and a green bin.  After his "Si," I scream Grazie and toss it in, elated. Because not only is my smelly bag gone, this is the first time EVER I have not gotten a single word wrong!

I plan to spend the rest of the day celebrating, perhaps prosecco will be involved. Sure, I cannot go to Barcelona tomorrow as planned due to the unrest and protests which may again shut down transportation, but I can be a light in the world in my own little way by sharing the jubilance I have from the piccolo cosi. What matters is JOY, which I can get from trash!! The rest is garbage.