GoFigure

Go Figure
I was walking down the street today and the Trash Nazi walked past me. We had a battle a few years ago. I live in the city and we have to put our trash out on Tuesday or Friday mornings. Now I have a bad back and walking 6 flights of stairs with a heavy bag of cat nah nah is not easy. So I tried to take it across the street and leave it in the opposing alley. The Trash Nazi, who had been quite friendly to me before, became apoplectic. Since I was not breaking a law (I called the city) I continued to do it for a while, but his screaming was not worth it. I ultimately sucked it up and took it down or waited for my cleaning folks to do it. That was 4 years ago.

Last year, when I saw the Trash Nazi planting his garden, I decided to go over and try to make peace. I apologized for my previous behavior and reminded him that we had been friends. He launched into his trash speech though it was no longer necessary since I wasn't using his alley but I said I understood. I reminded him we had been friends and he agreed that I had been a model neighbor before and after the trash war. I said I just wanted to be friends again. More sputtering from him followed by acquiescence. But see when people are embarrassed that they have treated someone so dreadfully, they can’t stand someone being nice.Ever since I say hi when I see him on the street, but he can't do it. So on this lovely spring day, he couldn’t meet my eyes and quickly avoided me. He won the war and he's still mad!

I also have found amazing acts of random kindness. Last week, I couldn’t find my car keys so I took the extra pair, because as usual I was running late to Church. When I got in the car I found a note explaining that a stranger had found them. He left me his phone number and told me to call. At first I panicked because someone had my keys and could rob my house, but then I got a hold of myself and figured, the guy has the keys to your car, clearly since he unlocked the car, left the note and then locked the car back up. It’s not likely he’s a bad guy. So I called him after church and here’s what he told me.

He had found the keys at the end of the street saw the Accura brand on the keys and walked down the street clicking the alarm till he found the car. Then he wrote the note, left the keys with a friend and disappeared into the day. How incredibly cool is that. So I prefer to leave you with that story, cuz I think the Car Angel is better than the Trash Nazi.