Once I saw them with huge, and I do mean huge, white wings hanging over the back of the truck. As you can see one guy sorts, one guy catches the bags that others on the street throw up to them and the guy on the right bangs on the truck so the driver will move on down the street.
To know that the garbage truck is coming, there is a kid, who must be stone deaf with two metal pieces that he bangs together, about a block in front of the truck, He bangs them so loud that you see people come flying out of their houses with cans and bags in tow. It is a deafening sound.
When the garbage truck in my neighborhood comes on Tuesdays, I can hear the kid banging on the metal bars two blocks away. Hence, I say, he must be stone deaf.
The whole thing is a crescendo of activity of humans who enjoy life and don't appear to mind having a job that for most would be a job that they would not want. These guys don't seem to mind. They wave, they smile and they definitely can throw those cans up into the back of the truck in true athletic fashion.
I have more photos, but gave up finding them last night. It's just one of those minor adventures that always makes me grab for my camera to document another bit of life on the streets of San Miguel.
11 comments:
Our trash service (I use that word loosely)is quite unpredictable as well - both in costume and arrivals. It is an example of Mexico's lack of consideration for the people they service. A lot of time is wasted bring out barrels etc. only to have the schedule(or lack thereof) be unpredictable. OK my beef of the day - you triggered it ;-)
Heck, Calypso, I don't even HAVE garbage pickup. Remember how I used to drive at night to where a truck was parked and throw my bags into the back of the truck?
Now I have the handyman take it with him to somewhere..........Sorry you are inconvenienced. I never have more then a little bag anyway, nowadays.
Truly enjoy reading you. Stone deaf, you say. If he isn't yet he will be as I am - loud noises caused my hearing affliction.
Now back to your posts; I've missed a few. Yours is a wonderful blog.
Thanks By George! I find myself cupping my ear every now and then.........it tis aggravating. Glad you're enjoying the blog
LOL. As a once a year traveler to SMA, it took me a while to figure out why a young man was running down the street banging a triangle..loudly. I didn't see the trash truck because it was on another side street. In a few hours, I see this same guy running up another steep street. I'm in awe of someone running that fast and also banging on this triangle. Shortly after, I see the trash truck bumping along the street and how I connected the two? Have no idea. Another quirky, but makes sense kind of reason why I enjoy Mexico.
In the US, I listen to, at 4:30AM, the garbage being loudly compacted right outside my window. I'll take the musical/personal touch of SMA anytime.
I LOVE the mask with the horns. Great shot, too! In F's neighborhood in DF, someone walked ahead of the garbage truck ringing a loud bell, which was easy to hear, but not really annoying. But apparently in DF, trash collection is a bit of a problem as lots of people are at work when the trash people come, and apparently you can't just leave your trash cans on the curb. So it's apparently common for people to put trash in or near public trash cans.
In Tehuacán where Edgar lives, they just have "pretty" dumpsters around where anyone can drop trash, which seems like a better solution.
Saludos,
Kim G
Boston, MA
Where the trash people can get quite sniffy about when you put your trash out and what's in in. A persnickety bunch, really.
splendidfarecatering! Thanks for commenting. Isn't it fun figuring out what the heck is going on in SMA! There is also a man who walks around with a high pitched whistle. He is a scissor and knife sharpener man who walks the neighborhoods with that whistle. It's amazing to see mostly women coming out of their houses to have their scissors and knives sharpened.
Oh, and then there is the pickup truck with the unpasturized milk that blows his horn EVERY morning at 8:17AM for my neighbor to come out with a ladle and a pitcher for her daily fresh milk.
I never tire of any of it!
Kim, I noticed this morning as I drove to the parking lot that many people already had their trash cans sitting by their front door. The time was 10:30AM and I presume the garbage truck was coming behind me soon.
People are NOT supposed to put their trash out prior to seeing the truck! Nobody here is persnickety about trash that I know of...
When I was staying in an apartment in Oaxaca last winter, the arrival of the garbage truck would be announced by a guy ringing a bell (as it is in Mexico City). The pickup was usually around 7 A.M. I would hear the bell, jump out of bed, throw on some clothes, and take the trash out to the truck (along with all the neighbors). The funniest sound I heard in Oaxaca was the truck selling propane gas. It played a loud recording of a cow mooing. Made me wonder if they got their gas from cow flatulence. :-)
Ahh, the garbage truck for the school across from me comes at about 7:45AM. The new principal won't let us neighbors give our garbage to that truck, but I used to leap out of bed, as you did Bill and run out with the neighbors in my robe and slippers!
There are all kinds of sounds for various things in Mexico. It's a delight, most of the time.
I would imagine Bill, that the sound of the gas truck was darn funny.
Well, now you've now solved the piercing whistle noise!
I would really love to have that luxury in the States. Instead, I drive 45 minutes, leave my knives and go back in a few days.
Another fun story. I heard some door knocking/noises going up my street, peeked out and saw a donkey loaded up with bags of who knows what. I asked my friend living in SMA and he said..probably fertilizer and/or potting soil. Apparently, it was the right time of year (last spring).
Post a Comment