"cars"

Yesterday I went to that great social network, the county dump.

I have written about it before, but each time I go I am amazed by it all.

The lady who weighs me in is a decent even jovial gal. Her predecessor could be pretty grim, but this gal has a good smile and a decent sense of humor.

From there on it gets wild.

There are various “stations” depending on what you have. One for steel and appliances, one for computers, one for tires, one for wood and so on. I was sure I was going to the wood pile but the direction guy was not there, so I went on up to the big site.

He stormed over in his Chevy pickup, almost like a character from the movie “Cars”. With a thumb gesture he told me to go back to the wood pile.

Often there are prison inmates assigned to the county landfill (it is not “the dump” I spite of what I may call it), to help unload. Yesterday three of them came over before I had the chains off my load of brush. (Later I the day a friend went to the same site with a similar load. The inmates were working to unload the trailer, and another of the “directors” stormed over to tell him that the inmates were not to do “all of the work.” Since the sides racks on the trailer were tall, there was no room for my friend to “help”’ and he told the “director.” He was frounded at, which is pretty serious.)

They unloaded down to where I had piled on some corn stalks, then they would go no further until the “lady director” came over to inspect. She told me to go up. I obeyed. To do otherwise would be serious.

Once on top the “director chevy” came my direction and with another hand gesture told me where to back in to the pile. The wind was blowing and this is really sandy soil, so I was glad he assigned me the first site toward the wind, at least I would not have to eat any one else’s sand.

The guys next to me were unloading something or other, I was busy, and did not notice, but as soon as they were finished Chevy drove over to inspect the leavings. Was there anything that should have required an extra fee?

He darted back to his place of supervision.

I unloaded, swept the trailer out and stacked the side racks and thought.

Until then I did not realize what an interesting situation this was. I kept thinking of “Cars.” I watched the little tin god Chevy zip around in low gear.

Most likely it has to be that way, how would I know, but it sure is an interesting subculture -- the city d… er, the county land fill.