Chirp!:

    Tuesday, January 08, 2008

    Experiment.

    MC asked me for a STOP/GO sign this morning while he was out front with his Dad, helping build a new garden retaining wall ( with the bricks from the old kicked-down wall )

    I figured he wanted to impede progress and be annoying, so of course, I was good for that.

    Turns out he wanted to STOP TRAFFIC.
    It was a lesson in disappointment, let me tell you.




    So we concentrated on pedestrians. Which was interesting.

    Women would always stop ( or slow considerably ) and say something like: "oh my gracious, a Stop Sign !, may I go now ?", to which they'd get a nod and the sign would flip to green for them to go.
    Men, however, would barge on by, maybe saying "HELLO LITTLE BOY" in a booming man-type-voice, and TOTALLY NOT GET IT.
    Idjuts.

    This was very disappointing, and before they were out of earshot, the boy would drop his shoulders and sigh in resignation and complain
    "Man not stop. Ladies do's"

    But we were saved by the friendly Garbo, who even ( illegally, i'm sure ) did a little stop/starting and followed the rules of sign-boy as his truck picked up our bins.

    Now I feel bad that I didn't leave out a Christmas 6-pack of beer, like people used to in the 'olden days'. Well, we did.

    Does anyone still leave out Christmas Cheer for the Garbo ?

    25 comments:

    Anonymous said...

    We did last year as we have a great garbo who waves, toots, beeps and even moves the bin closer to us, but this year he wasn't on and the one who was didn't crack a smile or a wave for the kids, no goodies for him!! BTW been meaning to respond to your vanity fair photo. Would you have been so game with a 35mm. Bet you would have put on your hat and glasses when collecting the photos!!! Aren't you glad we're now digital.

    Fairlie - www.feetonforeignlands.com said...

    You know...I was just pondering this very question the other day. We haven't done it for years...around the time automatic trucks came in I think. I wondered where exactly one would leave it, if one was so inclined.

    Stomper Girl said...

    What Fairlie said.

    I just love that middle photo of the boy and the sign. Love it.

    What kind of mean mother are you not letting him stand out on the road and stop the cars? Sheesh.

    Christie said...

    Our garbo shouts obscenities out the window when people park to close to the corner (where we live)... I am NOT a morning person, so he won't be getting any beer from me any time soon!

    Kiki said...

    Ha ha ha, we had the STOP/GO business a few months back and it often gets pulled out just when you least expect it!! Nothing as good as this on the street stuff though, now you've got me thinking and I've got just the RIGHT neighbours to "use" it on.

    I like the leaving something for the Garbo idea and wished we would have discussed it before Christmas. Our bin day was even the 25th, he could have eaten some of the seafood before he took it away!!!! Damn it.

    M said...

    Seriously cute.

    Our garbos came on Christmas day this year. We pondered leaving something out but thought they'd just think it was part of the rubbish. That's our excuse anyway.

    Amanda said...

    That's adorable and a great test. Of course the women were cordial and played along! :) We leave a big old nothing for the garbage men. They rub me the wrong way and frequently refuse to take certain things. Maybe then I should be giving them something, as a sort of a bribe? ;)

    muser said...

    The cuteness of that is overwhelming. Overwhelming, I tell you! I just love the fashion coordination of the shirt and crocs.

    Aunty Evil said...

    We used to leave a 6 pack under the lid of the old tin garbage cans, where the men would run up, toss the lid like a frisbee, grab the beer and dispose of your rubbish.

    But if you left it under the lid now, it would just end up scooped up with the rest of the rubbish into the back of the truck.

    Leave it on top, and the local hoons get a free drink on you. For doing nothing but be annoying all year. What a reward.

    As for the leaving the beer under the lid, how hygenic was that anyway?

    Love the pics of your boy! He is such a cutey.

    Melody said...

    How cute!! And of course the ladies were great at playing along - typical blokes. Our Garbo worked too on Christmas Day and he's always been very nice. A 6 pack would have been a good idea...

    Anonymous said...

    That is so ridiculously cute.

    I can't say we ever did the beer for the garbo, but it is a great idea.

    Stacey said...

    When our garbos start putting the bin down where they picked it up from, they might, just might get a beer. As long as we keep having to trudge two doors down to pick up our bins, they'll go thirsty. Bastards.

    Bird Bath said...

    that is SO funny! quite a good social experiment too...good on the garbos for co-operating.

    Ms Brown Mouse said...

    We did when I was growing up but not for a long time - round my way it would probably be nicked before the garbos got it anyhoo!

    Lynne@Oberon said...

    We leave out Christmas biccies for our huge and happy Maori garbo who is lovely to the girls. They used to wait on the front doorstep until they heard the truck coming, upon which they would launch themselves out onto the grassy verge to jump up and down and wave hysterically. He'd wave back and sometimes stop for a chat ... but the girls seem to be to grown-up for much of that these days. Although if they do see him it's like a family reunion :)

    Mary said...

    Weird that you should ask about Christmas beers and the garbos as I too was wondering about that in the run up to Christmas. I think this year I will leave some out for the recycling guys who run and throw and run and throw and deserve a bit of a drink I reckon.

    Love that photo of his little bum sticking out as he scans for more drivers/pedestrians.

    meggie said...

    Cute MC. Is he getting ready for the year 2030, when he is a Dad, & takes his turn on the school ped crossing!

    Kirsty said...

    No Christmas cheer for our garbos either.

    In our burb the men tend to be more friendly & the women more judgemental-looking-down-their-noses types.

    I'm working on the list.

    Joke said...

    It's very wise not to let the lad go off and play in traffic without a whistle and that bright orange vest thingy.

    -J.

    Damselfly said...

    Cute! Maybe he has a future in law enforcement?

    Victoria said...

    That is BRILLIANT! So funny. Of course the women got it and the men didn't. The garbos deserve something for getting it for sure.

    KPB said...

    Yup, every year. Not a six pack though - just two and either a plate of homemade Christmas goodies or one of my mini Christmas cakes.

    Elizabeth said...

    We generally only left beer out on a hot day when we wanted something picked up that was not considered "regular garbage". Usually did the trick.
    We don't have a garbage pick-up anymore being rural unless we pay a private removal co. to do it.

    crafty said...

    Gorgeous!

    No, but we used to give the postie a pressie when we were kids, or at least my Mum did, usually a mini christmas cake.

    kurrabikid said...

    Brilliant - how funny that must have been to watch!!

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