Roadside Wisdom

I was working on what I thought was a profound blog for this morning, when my wife reminded me last night that it was garbage night. Meaning, I have to get the garbage can down to the street for pick-up in the early morning.

It reminded me of an experience I had many years ago. I was heading to a mountain weekend cabin we were lucky enough to have away from the big city of New York and its environs.

I would sometime go there alone after work on a late Friday. One time, I stopped at a roadside tavern to buy a six-pack of beer.

I walked into the bar and one guy was sitting there at the bar. I ordered a six-pack and a short draft from the bartender.

The guy at the bar says to me, I know who you are. I said, “thanks for the recognition and what do you do.”

He said, “I have as interesting a job as you do.” I said, “What’s that.”

“I’m a garbage collector,” he said.

I thought for a moment, “garbage collector … news anchor”. There are some similarities. I let it go. I’m glad I did.

Then he said, “I see more wonders of nature off the back of a garbage truck that most people see in a lifetime.”

It taught me that wisdom comes when you least expect it.