One man's trash is...still trash.

Yes, my friends..it's that time of the year again...it's "big trash" day. It's that special occasion that only happens three times in the year: when Galesburgers can put their large trash items out on the curb and have them taken away by Waste Management, free of charge. Sounds benign, but what ensues is both fascinating and highly annoying. As soon as "big trash day" begins, you see cars, late model vans, and lots of trucks slowly driving and parking along both sides of the street. These rubbish robbers are perusing other people's trash piles for hidden treasures. Sometimes these vultures are there to take something from someone before they it's even placed in the trash pile! It is not uncommon to see two treasure hunters (I call them trash diggers) fighting over a special find like a wagon missing two of the four wheels. It's awe-inspiring to see these people in action. Part of me wants to know what they are going to do with their find. Part of me already knows:


Either way I am left wondering.. is this a regional thing? an issue of social norms? social class? is it primarily for fun or for profit? Just like the answer to "how big is the solar system?" I am left feeling resigned that I will never know.