Anonymous Rubbish

by Kris Pitcher

The look in her eye told me this was something to share in a big way. I almost couldn't hear the words coming from her mouth because I was so struck by the sparkle...or the roar of the commercial clothes dryers.

No, it was the glint in her eyes as she recounted an experience she'd had 21 floors above. Now, there are chores no one likes to do. If you've ever had to ask someone in your household to take the trash out you know what I'm talking about.

It's almost as if you've just asked them to gather up all the trash in the house, strip naked, and go door to door selling it to the neighbors. In reality...you just want them to remove the almost overflowing bag from the kitchen and take it 50 feet outside to the trash can.

Taking the trash out is a chore no one likes. Everyone likes a fresh, empty trash can in the kitchen especially. But taking it out, no one likes to do the asking, or the taking.

When you're 21 floors up things are different. You urban dwellers might not know how good you have it. So, I'm going to tell you. Welcome to the rubbish chute!

The look in Susie's eyes, the sparkle, the joy in her voice told me without exception she'd just experienced one of the most exhilarating things in her life. And this is why I think that is.

As you open the chute and release your trash, you can hear the echo of it making it's way into darkness. Having only your imagination to determine it's final stop...you imagine it disappears into thin air. Almost. But the real joy, the pure joy, is the anonymity.

That's right. Anonymous rubbish. For me, this is THE most exciting part about the trash chute. You have all this high-rise trash coming from random places into one central location and no one knows what you threw away!

I love that. Maybe it was all the anthropology classes I took in college (which were very interesting but who's going to be an anthropologist?) but I don't want anyone analyzing who I am now or after I'm dead by going through my trash.

Having said that...I really should purge more of my stuff. Anyway, the point is it is a complete joy to release your trash in a chute rather than walk your trash outside. Period.

All you high rise dwellers can just pause for a moment and relish in your rubbish. My urbanites can take joy for a day in another way to look at your life. Because in the eyes of a rural living gal...having anonymous rubbish is pretty exhilarating.