Really, They are Called Wheelie Bins

Several weeks ago I heard a bunch of commotion and rolling on the street. When I looked outside I saw that sanitation had brought everyone new wheelie bins for our trash. They didn't take our old trash can which was made of thick metal and roughly resembled Oscar the Grouch's house. We moved it to the back yard for outside trash.

Last week we got some information in the mail saying that everyone would be getting new wheelie bins for the recycling. On the appointed day lots of light blue wheelie bins showed up all over the sidewalks. When I came back from my run I went to claim our wheelie bin and discovered that there wasn't one outside our flat! There were four outside the next flat so I was going to take one of those, but saw that house numbers had been scrawled on the side of each bin. Next door were the wheelie bins for 23, 23A, 25, and 25A.

Oh, I see what the problem is. The numbering on our street is strange, and my wheelie bin had probably been put outside 21A even though 21A is not particularly near 21. I walked down to 21A where I saw the resident, an older woman, leaning out her front window putting out her trash. I thought I would just look inconspicuous until she went back inside then snoop around her property for my wheelie bin. But she saw me. "Are you okay?"
"Um, I'm looking for my wheelie bin."
"You could take one of those." Indicating the four next to my flat.
"They all have numbers on them that aren't mine."
"Have I got the right one?"
I looked, she did.
Then I saw one next to the road. 21! "Found it!"

A Phi Kappa alumnus named Will tells the most amazing stories. It is always a treat when he shows up to a meeting. One of the best things about his stories is the part where he tells you what Katie (his best friend and another Phi Kappan) said when he told her the story.

So here's what happened when I told Amanda the wheelie bin story. She asked me if the woman in 21A even knew what I was talking about when I told her I couldn't find my "wheelie bin." See, Amanda thought I made that name up. Nope. That's what the Brits call them.