Tuesday, October 28, 2008

dumpster diving.

Did you know it's illegal? It totally is!! Before you think I'm gross, please carefully review how many times you've driven past an overflowing garbage can on garbage day, noticed an antique chair and imagined how cute it would look if you swiped it and reupholstered it. It's the same thing!

On Sunday we went for a walk from DK's pad past the nearby discount office supply loading docks. I'd noticed some trunks and a huge antique bird cage earlier near the dumpsters and was just a little interested... so I was peaking around until a HPD officer pulled up and hollared at DK and me.

"Is that your dog running around?"
"Yes sir, we're just going for a walk", DK answered politely.
"You know that dumpster diving is illegal?" the cop pressed.
"I... uh... we..." I pointed down the way. Why, I don't know.
"Ok so I get it now, you're just the bodyguard for this princess here, right?" the cop chuckled and gestured towards DK, who laughed and said "Hehe, yes, that's right."

The cop wished us a good day and continued driving. It was such an awkward exchange, he totally threw me off guard and I was scared to death he might arrest me for examining this really cool industrial trunk. And even though he'd already turned the corner and was long gone, I still felt the need to continue on as though checking out those trashed items was definitely not my original intent. I mean, come on.

"Dumpster diving illegal? I'm going to Wikipedia that. Hmph."

HOWEVER, once the elevator doors opened up on DK's floor back home, I noticed a headboard and footboard someone left for the taking in the hallway. It was perfect for DK and absolutely the right size. "Let's keep an eye on it", I told him after thorough inspection and we went on our way.

Last night while working at the Barlow Girl show in The Woodlands, DK texted and said he had a surprise for me. The headboard looks perfect in his place! He snatched it from the hallway, cleaned it up and attached it to his bed. Not technically "dumpster diving" more like "hallway presents for the taking if you want it diving"? Sure, that works.

So you never know, one man's trash is another man's treasure! Another way to recycle!

And just to clarify, I would never literally dive/climb into/dance around in a dumpster. I mean, for crying out loud, it's illegal!

4 comments:

James ~n~ Amber said...

Oh my goodness !!! This is too hilarious because my sister has been doing this ! And, literally diving in...

Liz Jordan said...

From Andrea:
Would someone please alert my mother to this news?... Would someone please alert my mother to this news? She would strategically time her visits to me and my brother while we were in college to the weekends most people were moving in or out of apartments and dorms. This was to ensure the best "pickings" would be available to her in the area dumpsters, because "College kids have no sense of what something is worth."

Keri said...

Ok, just did a blog entry on dumpster diving. Except it involved a retainer and a 4th grader. Surely if the item belonged to you BEFORE it ended up in the dumpster, it's ok to go in after it. If you have an iron stomach, and latex gloves.

James ~n~ Amber said...

By the way...I asked our police officer here at the bank about dumpster diving and he claims its not illegal....so who really knows!