Monday, July 12, 2010

Recycling woes

This morning, when I came into the office to empty the garbage cans and vacuum, I noticed that someone had flung a used coffee filter, full of used coffee grounds, into the small trash can which has a large label on it, reading, "RECYCLE BOTTLES AND CANS." I fumed to myself, as I cleaned up the mess -- "Can't they READ? Are they ILLITERATE?" and went to my computer where I made a nice neat sign that read, "Please don't put garbage in this recycling can," and hung it on the wall above the recycling can.

Later, Nameless Agent came in. I heard him from my desk, holler, "Hey, who made this sign?" from the kitchen, but I made him walk ALL THE WAY out to my desk before I turned and smiled and said, "I made it. Why?" He said, in a mean but laughing way, "You made it? And here I thought you were so smart!* That isn't a can! Don't you know what a can is? A can is made of metal, and it usually contains something canned!"

I said, "Oh? So what would you call that container for pop bottles?"

He said, "I'd call it a trash can!"

! ! ! ! ! ! !


*This is something that makes me mad. I swear I do not go around saying, "Hi, I'm Elisabeth, and I'm very smart." I do not have my Mensa certificate framed and hung on the wall. I don't wear clothes from Miss Smarty Pants. So where does that come from? It makes me feel very squirmy, but I can't object to it -- I am, actually, pretty darn smart. Erg.

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