De-Canification.

Much to my surprise, I have had the new garbage can now for more than two years. I was so excited about that Rubbermaid special that I blogged about it in September of the Lost Year. At the time I held on to the old trash can, even though the bottom was three quarters rotted out, because I thought I might need it if we had a really huge trash pickup. That has not happened. So, I plan to get rid of the old can at last.

But the question I asked back in the day still obtains: How do you throw out a garbage can? If you put it out as garbage, it doesn't look like garbage, it looks like what it is -- what garbage comes in. So... how? If I had a chain saw I'd cut it up, but I don't. Leave a note on it? These guys are working fast, seconds per household; they don't have time to read even if they actually noticed the note in the dark. 

I said to myself: "Self! What can I do?"

Then I saw what another guy in the neighborhood did.

This. Is. GENIUS!

He's taken the wheels and the lid off so you know the thing is busted at a glance. He filled it with garbage so it can't be shrugged off an a can leftover from the last pickup. Then he wrapped the whole thing in an ENORMOUS garbage bag so they have to put it all on the truck and mash that bastard up -- unless they're too chicken.

Well, I've seen our garbage men in action, and they're no chickens. 

I guess it worked, because after I got that picture, the Phantom Can of Number 9 was never seen again. 

I'm not going to try this on Friday's pickup because the guys are still dealing with snow around here. But when it's clear, look out, garbage truck! My old can is coming in! 

That didn't come out the way I'd hoped.