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Thankless Job

Writer: BrendiBrendi

While looking out the window the week of Valentine's Day (Monday), I noticed the sanitation worker trying to pick up my trash bins. I noticed while he was trying to do his job of grabbing my bins that he realized that he couldn't fit between two parked cars because the space was so tight. I was like, "Oh no!" Then I saw him walk around one of the parked cars and grab both of my trash bins. He dragged them to the back of the sanitation truck, dumped the black trash bags that were in there, and proceeded to walk toward that tight parking spot. He managed to leave my bins nicely placed, and not thrown on the floor the way others have done. I was glad. He was so considerate!

As I walked out of my house to put my trash bins back in my property I wanted to say, "Thank you," to the sanitation worker but he walked by with his head down and I felt like he wouldn't hear me and my high-pitched voice at 7AM. I said to myself, "What a thankless job." Then I thought to myself, "Are sanitation workers allowed to get tips?" I Googled it (of course :) and the answer is, "Yes!" During the holidays, people tend to tip sanitation workers $10-$30. That is so thoughtful!

I thought to myself, "Damn, the holidays passed." Then again, Valentine's Day is coming up. Maybe I can give a sanitation worker a present that he can share with his coworkers/friends. The day before I ordered this teddy bear on top of a box of chocolates from CVS, and woke up extra early to wait for the sanitation worker.

I failed to realize that it wasn't the same worker from Monday, but I wasn't going to let that deter me. I watched as this worker did his job and his coworker/friend inside the passenger side of the truck looked at me. He smiled when he saw that I had a present in my hand and mouthed the words, "Happy Valentine's Day!" It was so sweet because God knows I barely have a Valentine's on Valentine's Day and I have always tried to be romantic and giving to my significant others to not receive anything in return.

Then when the sanitation worker came closer to me I said, "This is for all the hard work that you do!" He laughed and said, "Aw, thank you!" Then gave it to his coworker/friend that was on the passenger side of the truck because he was busy throwing out other people's garbage, you know? He needed someone to hold it for him. My mom joked saying that the sanitation worker would confuse it for garbage and toss it in the back of the truck. She's so funny.

The moral of the story is that this goes to show you that even though you may think no one is watching or seeing your efforts, someone always is and is looking at you with kindness in their eyes and heart. Even if that someone is G-o-d.

 
 
 

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