The Sheenny Man Commeth

All the fan installations left me with a fan and several light fixtures--only slightly used--still in attractive operable condition. Actually, one was already in "the garage" awaiting---what?--some trip to somewhere to donate them. Thought of habitat for humanity, but I am not sure where they are, and if they would take my gently used (actually, they came with the house) light fixtures. I did not need to add anymore stuff to the stuff already in the garage, so I promised myself that these would not settle there.

Early on Sunday morning--I toted the fan boxes to the curb. Then the fan, with a nicely printed note--"works, help yourself" which I arranged attractively next to the boxes--note toward the incoming traffic. Then I started to take down the light fixtures--two were all I could carry at once.--They were added to the attractive display, canted to catch the sun, and the attention of anyone shopping our trash.

This is where the sheenny man part comes in. My parents were adults in the depression. They never threw away anything!--really. We had 40 year old balls of rubber bands. A whole drawer full of washed and dried bread bags. We saved the news papers for paper drives, and my dad sold the scrap metal at the scrap yard. If there was something that was beyond our recyclability--it went out for the sheenny man---real people who drove through our neighborhood the late afternoon/evening before trash day every week. Anything useful as set aside so as not to be confused with the trash---and sure enough, lots of stuff found a home in the back of the sheenny man's truck. Waste not want not.

Anyway, between lights one and two, and light three, I got distracted. When I did get light three down to the curb--lights one and two had been "adopted" (WOW--in an 1/2 hour!). Interestingly, the sheenny person (more politically correct for the 2005"s) had left behind a somewhat thirsty plant. Now I had a dilemma. I left light three in hopes that they were local, and would realize that they are a set--and assessed the pathetic plant. I am after all, a gardener. Could it be that sheenny person knew this, and left it for salvation? Did they just need room in their truck? Was someone just walking along the road, carrying a hanging plant looking for water when they happened upon my sheenny pile? (remember that I could not carry more than two!) The plant was a mystery--and it was all I could do to turn my back on it and walk back up to the house...But I did not need another plant--especially one that needed tlc! I hadn't asked for a trade. The lights were free. Maybe someone else would sheenny the plant!

Later, I dragged the waste wheeler down to the curb. Light three was gone. Fan was still there, note fluttering in the breeze. Plant had been moved (?).

Next morning, as I pulled out in the semi-dawn, I forgot to look at the trash pile to see if anymore shopping had occurred. That night, the note was taped to the waste wheeler---so, either someone wanted the fan, and took off the note, or the garbage men have a sick sense of humor---taping the note that says "works, help yourself" to my garbage bin---that by the way, I had to pay $100.00 for that garbage bin, which showed up not only used, but broken--but they probably knew this--which is why they were laughing-----or, someone else is not as hot because the sheenny person has installed the fan by now!