Things Change--Maybe for the Better

One of the joys of my yout' about 52+ years ago was loading up the Dodge sedan with the week's trash and garbage, plus miscellaneous unused chemicals, boxes, scrap, grass clumps from the old Toro mower, and trash, and hauling it all to the "dump" with my father--who did the vast majority of the work...

We'd get out of the driveway, out of sight of Mom, and I'd immediately shift to the center of the front seat (there were no armrests, nor consoles then) and proceed to operate the gearshift, on signal from Dad, taking the three-on-the-tree from Low to Second, and finally, to High.

By and by, about 5 minutes later, we'd arrive at the Loth Pit, an unused quarry then operated as the City's dump. After paying a dollar or so to the attendant, we'd back up as close as Dad dared to the edge, open the trunk, and pitch everything off the cliff.

Eventually, you'd hear a clunk, or a clink, or several bangs and crashes, indicating that the trash had hit bottom.

Now, as I drive by the old Dump, I see that it's become a subdivision. Lots will likely go for upwards of $100K/quarter-acre. They may even excavate artifacts of 1940's/1950's Americana, and/or bones of various critters who inhabited the area for the free and easy food pickins.

I really don't know whether to laugh or cry.