For a people so in awe of nature Juggalos are a messy bunch.
The streets of Cincinnati are littered with Faygo bottles, their beverage of choice.
Unfortunately they are not alone. Why are there so many litterbugs? When I was little I remember throwing out something along the main fast food drag of Jefferson City, MO, my hometown. It might have been a Taco Bell container of some sort. The immediate sense of shame and extreme wrongdoing that came over me and the very stern talking to I got from my dad afterwards were enough to put me off it forever.
How can their be so many people who think it could be ok to throw something out their window instead of waiting till they pull over for gas, stop for the night, or get home. I have to carry my trash with me for hours or sometimes a day to find a dumpster, a trash can, or if I’m real lucky somebody will have a recycle bin out and I won’t have to feel horrible about throwing away plastic bottles.
To justify the trash I find I have to create narratives that explain their existence.
Maybe after drinking two large sodas that caught the wind and flew out of the car
this guy unfortunately wet his pants and had to throw his underwear out the window.
Then, oh no, stomach pains, downing a whole container of antacids didn’t even help and in a blind fury he threw them from the car,
and then soiled the clean underwear he had just put on.
He had to use plastic gloves to deal with the mess as well. Poor guy.
And… I can’t explain this one.
More likely though these were thrown from cars carelessly with little thought to the crappy place they are helping make the world for everyone who has to share it. Even if they are blowing out of a truck bed without any act of malice, trash still shouldn’t be left to fly away in the winds of highway speed. Today I was almost hit by a flying solid rubber wheel chock that flew out of the back of a pickup. Secure your loads and don’t carry lose trash in your truck bed! Even if you aren’t an environmentalist, that being someone who cares about their home and doesn’t want to selfishly go around ruining it for everybody else, don’t you still want to have a nice, clean community? Trash on the street makes everybody look bad.
I would pick it all up, but I can’t carry as much as I would find on our horribly disgusting roadsides, and I’d never make it to California before I grew too old to carry on. At least we have David Sedaris roaming his corner of England cleaning up the streets.
The only positive I’ve found… is the time I found 20 bucks while cleaning a road with my dad and brother for Wesley United Methodist Church in Jefferson City. Somebody at the church said I should donate it. Sorry. I’m sure if there is a higher power it must recognize the worth of Cherry Limeades and hotdogs when compared to the building fund.
Now I must google where there are Sonics along route 50 between Holton, Indiana, where I am tonight, and St. Louis where I get on the Katy Trail.
Day 26
Day 27
5 Comments
I’m hooked on Diet Sun Drop…
The Bob Marley poster, if authentic, might be worth some $$! I guess you wouldn’t have any “provenance” about it though. As for Faygo, never heard of it.
I’m sure it was a reproduction. Many many college kids to this day have this hanging on their walls.
This was really great – I love how you made me laugh about trash and then captured my attention to share an honest message. Great post.
I hate when people litter. So much so that I could feel to anger rising in me when I saw what the post was about. Thanks for making me laugh instead! Good luck on your journey! Hope you find another $20 along the way that some idiot tossed along with his garbage.