Homeless in Vancouver: Reminiscent of trashy '60s sitcoms
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I just didn’t have the time or the patience to curate the collection I ran across last night in a Dumpster.
I was on my way to bed, but it’s my habit—a binner’s habit—to look for returnable containers and other interesting discards on my way anywhere.
So even though I’m not a dyed-in-the-wool Dumpster diver, I will browse.
I looked over the top of this one Dumpster and into a solid layer of photo albums and holiday snaps and postcards.
Right on the top of the pile were a bunch of what looked like dance-school promotional photos.
The photo above was literally staring me in the face. Holy tap, jazz and interpretive crime-fighting Batman!
And if the photo above brings to mind an old 1960s TV series, so does the holiday snap below.
Comments
5 Comments
HellSlayerAndy
Jan 4, 2014 at 10:43pm
"I looked over the top of this one Dumpster and into a solid layer of photo albums and holiday snaps and postcards."
That's sad. Doesn't remind me of 60s TV programs; it looks like an eviction?
Usually ppl don't throw that stuff out. Landlords and vindictive partners/roommates do. Was there a death perhaps?
See how that worked...real writers can find a whole lot more in that discovery than TV.
Also reminds me of tragic story a binner, who got into a tangle with police on the DES. The cops took his stuff out of spite of course and threw it away in that in that Big Trash can they were using a few years back. He pleaded with them to be able to keep at least one little thing. "Leave or you go to jail!"
Know what it was....it was the only picture he had of his mother.
Mr. Woodvine I think you should start treating your subjects with a little more respect than you are doing.
They are not fodder for your columns or any subsequent books you might be collecting material for in the future.
Alan Layton
Jan 5, 2014 at 9:43am
Lol. I'm glad you blacked out the horses eyes. You just avoided what could have been a costly lawsuit.
Man, I thought I was a curmudgeon. HellSlayerAndy seems like a truly miserable human.
cathy
Jan 5, 2014 at 11:50am
Geez HellSlayerAndy-a bit rough?
As a garage sale devottee-it is shocking what folks get rid of, yes even those not being evicted.
Estate garage sales make for the best finds-sometimes the family left don't care-so the stuff sometimes goes to those who will treasure it. Same for stuff found in a bin. A good end.
So glad the horses anonymity was protected-you never know!
Btw-so what if this blog ends up in a book or an article?
Hope it does.
HellSlayerAndy
Jan 5, 2014 at 1:12pm
Mr Layton.
No...but when I read it I was reminded of a criticism by Chris Hitchens (years ago when he was good) in a book review of hipster Gonzo travel writer P.J. O'Rourke. Hitchen said that it didn't seem to matter where Mr. O'Rourke goes in the world, it seems everywhere he goes it reminds him of California.
To me it seems that no matter what Mr. Woodvine writes on his subject, it always reminds him of some reference to pop culture.
But thx for coming in, Alan, as usual your comments usually raise the tone of debate. I am going to give you a thumbs up, Alan, because you remind me of the spiritual grifter that regularly performs 'aura' readings over the telephone on Coast AM.
Good to see you've taken the model into the field of psychology.
Stanley Q Woodvine
Jan 8, 2014 at 8:34pm
Oh hell Andy!
Wasn't a home eviction. No one was moving. It was a condo dumpster. In Fairview they've been throwing out ridiculous amounts of old "analog" photographs for years. Eventually they may run out. But not yet.
If there is a mournful story behind this bunch of discarded memories, I don't know it, and I have no cause to idly speculate. I certainly hope not.
Of the two of us I'm not the one grasping to find something to write about.