The Recycling Nazi Gets Spanked

Yep, me. Despite being outspoken against mandatory garbage and recyclables pickup, I call myself the Recycling Nazi. I can't help but look in everybody's recycling bins as I go around town and scold those who have non- recyclables mixed in. Either that, or those with bins out for pick up when they're nowhere near full. You're only supposed to have them out on the curb when they're full enough to be worth picking up.

But yesterday I was so embarrassed. Recology- I guess that's the new name for Eureka City Garbage- called and scolded me for not having my recycling bin out on the curb in time. I was late. The pick up guy had already come by but noticed it as he looked down the street from a block or so away. Lucky for me he came back and picked up my stuff.

I actually had the best of intentions. First of all it was supposed to be raining. I don't like to put the bin out when it's raining, especially when I have a bunch of cardboard hanging out the top as I did. When I got up, it was raining so I figured I wouldn't put the recyclables bin out despite it being stuffed full. Then I forgot about it.

I usually don't place it out until about 8:30 or 9am, anyway. That lessens the chance of the bums rummaging through it. That usually works fine as he normally comes by later in the morning, or that was the impression I'd had. It's always worked before.

So it was probably 9:30am or later when I realized it wasn't raining and maybe I should put the recycling bin out for pick up. I checked doppler radar. It didn't look like it would rain so I rolled the bin out to the sidewalk hoping I wasn't too late. I figured it might be close. If it was too late, I'd just have to roll it back into the garage and wait for next week.

I saw the guy picking up later on D Street as I was working. I almost went over and asked him if he'd already done my house but decided not to. When I got done working I drove by the house, saw the bin had been emptied and patted myself on the back for getting it out in time.

Nope. When I came home the wife said I had a message on the answering machine. That's unusual enough. Nobody ever calls me, but the way she said it gave me pause.

It was a gal from Recology telling me- ok, asking me- to be sure and take my bin out earlier as the guy had been in the area much earlier. I guess he came by around 7:30 when my bin wasn't out. Later on he saw it from down the street from blocks away and went back to pick it up. He told the office gal he wouldn't go back to pick it up next time so I'd better have it out there on time from now on.

Ok. So I've been spanked. How humiliating!