Saturday Post: Smells and Smiles Start the Day

The day got off to a funny start in a smelly kind of way.

After giving someone a ride yesterday morning, in minus 10 degree weather, I got stuck behind a huge, open ended garbage truck.

I pulled my warm, black scarf over my nose and the bottom half of my face to avoid the not-so-sweet smells from permeating my car through any cracks.  A double yellow line and blocked view of oncoming cars made it impossible to pass the garbage monster.

The truck would grind forward a short distance, then stop. A worker would hop down, grab a garbage can from the side of the road, put it on some kind of a gadget that emptied it, and then he'd throw the can back to the side of the road.

A long line of cars began to form behind mine but I couldn't budge an inch.  No doubt there were quite a few angry commuters but it was too darned cold for them to shake their fists outside their windows. 

So there I sat behind the wheel of my car, scarf covering my nose, stuck behind the smelly truck and it wasn't even 8 a.m. yet.  The ridiculous aspects of the situation made me burst out laughing.  The people in the car behind might have thought I was crazy but I couldn't stop. Looking  into the gaping mouth of the truck and laughing,   I couldn't help but think that even garbage trucks "eat" breakfast.

Forehead in hand, while perched on the steering wheel, I just let the laughter rip. My shoulders shook with laughter and I wiped happy tears from the corners of my eyes.

Vroom vroom, went the truck  and then squeaked to a halt. More breakfast went into the truck's gaping mouth. Vroom vroom, next stop!

Finally, the gods showed mercy. The garbage truck passed a bend in the road.  The coast was clear and I gunned it.  The long, snaking line of traffic behind me was now history and so was the garbage truck.



Breakfast, anyone?