Excellent Snooping through someone's trash can be revealing. The Autopsy of a Trash bag by Brigitte Elko Artwork by ChuckWaxman at FanArtReview.com

Once I had a neighbor who was obviously withdrawn or shy. She never once visited and seemed put out when I called on her. I wondered about her often and then one day my quirky self decided I wanted to know more about her. Sneaking around like a burglar in the night, I set out on my planned task. I waited until her lights were out and I was sure she was in bed asleep. My target, her trash bag was sitting by the curb, sealed tight by a blue drawstring. I hesitated because what I was planning seemed absurd even to me on second thought. But, determined, I donned rubber gloves, walked to the trash bag and ever so sneakily dragged it to my yard. Staring at the bag for a long time made me curious about the contents. First thing noted was how heavy the bag was. I filed that information into my brain data bank. Now, the autopsy began by slitting the bag open with my long nails. This I had not planned on and muttered "Damn" when I broke a nail. Author note: The starred lines are my mental notes. Right on top there was an empty wine bottle, White Zinfadel, I knew we had something in common. I chugged the bottle aside and made a mental note. *She likes wine. The next item discarded was a home pregnancy test box, empty . *I hope the results were what she was looking for. Cigarette butts were scattered like weeds in the bag and the smell of this staleness was nauseating. *She was heavy smoker. The South Beach Diet Book was next to surface. *The book had pizza and chocolate stains all over it, hmm, diet unsuccessful. Getting a little discouraged and my curiosity waning, I wondered about my neighbor's life. She didn't appear to be overweight and didn't reek of smoke when I visited. Tempted,only tempted, to give up, I decided to dig a little deeper. Like a medical examiner, I carefully lifted the next item covered by sticky goo from what had obviously been a chocolate milkshake. Using my gloved hand, I wiped it off and found a picture of a handsome man in an ornate frame. The smile on the face of the man gazing back at me was magnetic. *This man had been something to my neighbor but was now discarded. Boyfriend? Brother? Husband? I wondered. Newspapers, old mail, and TV dinner boxes were assembled in the trash. Just as I was about to stop this insane search, yes, I was beginning to feel as guilty as a thief, I saw a letter that was neatly written on one sheet of paper. my curiosity was not sated and I began to read. Dear Neighbor, It is very lonely here, I have not made any friends yet. I can not find the courage to visit you because from what I can see your life is full. Your friends come and go often and I don't think I would fit into your busy life. My whole life, I have been hiding because of my shyness. You are my neighbor but I have nothing to offer you and I do not want to be a burden to you. My life is empty and lonely. If you visit again, I will try not to be rude and welcome you...can we try again as if ..... I read this plea in a letter more than once and like a coroner made a mental note, my last note. * Go next door in the morning and make a new friend; share your dirty deed of the night before with her. If she forgives my snooping, I know we can become friends and sip a glass of wine while we chat. Author Notes Discarded trash can tell a lot about a person. Thank you ChuckWaxman for the use of your wonderful art work.

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