Trash Collection

Hail to California's He-Man of Yesteryear

By Craig MacDonald

This morning, three different garbage trucks came out in front to pick up three different cans (garbage, lawn/tree clippings and paper/plastic) that we'd taken out to the street. These current day trash engineers didn't even have to touch the cans, which were automatically and mechanically lifted from the curb by the truck's metal arms.

It made me think of the amazing, incredibly-strong garbage man I first saw in the 1950s in Campbell, California. One garbage truck came down the street as one man with a gigantic steel garbage can--the biggest I've ever seen--slung over his shoulder, actually came to our backyard fence, opened the gate, then emptied our garbage cans into his. He would then go next door and do the same until his can was full, before going out to the truck to empty his huge load.

I still can't believe this larger-than-life garbageman's accomplishments. How in the heck did he do it? How strong was he? I'm sure he could have started as a lineman for the San Francisco 49ers. Ironically, a block from me lived the greatest end for the 49ers (until Jerry Rice came along), Billy Wilson. I wonder if Billy ever had the same thoughts about the same garbageman, who came weekly to his house? Maybe he did and maybe he enabled the Superman to become a 49er. The team sure could use both Billy and our garbageman today!

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