Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Bright blue victory

Today was the day I've been waiting for, pleading for, for more than a year. I made another phone call to my garbage service company first thing this morning, told them my story yet another time. The lady I spoke with couldn't have been nicer. I crossed my fingers and felt a spark of hope.

Today turned out to be my lucky day!


See that bright blue baby in the middle? The short, squatty one? That's mine! It was waiting by the curb when I arrived home for lunch, and I couldn't be much prouder if I'd given birth to it myself. In fact, I may push it around the neighborhood to show it off.

During the entire one-year-plus that I spent without a lid on my garbage can, I felt like a second-class citizen. Ha! A few days with no can at all certainly put that inconvenience in perspective.

I appreciate those of you who offered support and suggestions (some of you on more than one occasion) for dealing with a company that didn't seem to care. Annie, who knew you were such an activist?

Here's part of Annie's comment from early this morning: "Velvet, just sent this essay as a letter to the editor of the newspaper in your fair city." Hahahaha! I'll let you know if your letter starts something interesting.

I also found a quote attributed to Winston Churchill, no doubt during a long-lasting battle with his own waste management company: “Sure I am this day we are masters of our fate, that the task which has been set before us is not above our strength; that its pangs and toils are not beyond our endurance. As long as we have faith in our own cause and an unconquerable will to win, victory will not be denied us.”

Sure wish I'd had Churchill's kind of faith.

11 comments:

  1. Oh.My.Gosh...I'm so thrilled! And what a beautiful can it is!! Well, one thing off of my mind...really it did bother me that you didn't have a decent trash can, then, you didn't have one at all. I feel better, how about you?

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  2. Velvet, It's gorgemous!!! I'm so happy for you!! Congratulations on your new addition!

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  3. Everything has its place...even trash.

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  4. Congratulations. You fought City Hall and won. And, you got the trophy garbage can.

    Love your blog.

    --steve buser
    New Orleans Daily Photo
    (Counting down toward Post #100 this week)

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  5. Finally! And you didn't even have to set up a tent in front of City Hall!

    It's certainly a handsome garbage can. I bet it even has that new-garbage-can smell, too. Isn't it strange how the little things can make us so happy?

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  6. I think yours is the prettiest! ;)

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  7. We should celebrate her first birthday with you. Let us know in a year and we'll light candles for her. Ohh, oh and get ribbons for her blue hair.

    Had you given birth to it the labor would have been unreal.
    Austin

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  8. Thanks for your comments, everybody. All you regular readers, I hope you know how much I enjoy seeing you here, and I'd also like to welcome Steve Buser, who has now posted over 100 photos on his New Orleans Daily Photo blog. Quite an accomplishment!

    Oh, and Austin? Good idea about the birthday celebration next year. In regard to your comment that "the labor would have been unreal," I agree it's hard to imagine...but giving birth to a garbage can doesn't seem impossible to someone who knows she's been screwed by the trash-collection company.

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  9. but giving birth to a garbage can doesn't seem impossible to someone who knows she's been screwed by the trash-collection company.
    LOL!!! That's too funny!
    Austin

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  10. Aunt Velvet, you have made my day. I am sitting here with a houseful of crying kiddos and you definately made me laugh out loud with your brand spanking new baby! Congrats!!
    Love you much, Jennifer

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