Garbage Man Caedmon

Friday mornings are charged with excitement and anticipation, because it's garbage day! The trucks usually start coming during breakfast, and everything stops in our house for this weekly spectacle. At the first distant rumble, Caedmon's face lights up in an urgent smile as he points towards the door. "Mama! Mama! A-vvvah! A-vvvah!" (A speech therapist has recommended a hearing test for Caedmon to help diagnose his speech delay, but I should have mentioned his canine hearing when it comes to vehicular reverberations. I'm pretty sure, for this reason alone, his hearing is fine.)

Off flies the bib as I quickly work to remove his highchair tray. His arms are already upstretched and primed as I whisk him onto my hip. In a flash, we're out the door—me, running awkwardly in Wayne's oversized flip-flops, and Caedmon, bobbing like a rag doll and shrieking with giddiness as we approach the sidewalk. And then we see it. A blue beast with blinking lights, roaring as it swallows our neighborhood's trash, house by house.

It's always the recycling/yard waste truck first, rumbling down from the northwest, and then soon, the garbage truck will follow, rounding the bend from the east. (I know their routes by heart.) The fact that they drive by (four times, thanks to our corner lot!) in Caedmon's favorite vehicle is reason enough for celebration. But they don't just drive by. Mr. Rod and Mr. Chris always stop to say "hello" and offer Caedmon a lollipop. (Which I stow away. We have been collecting two lollipops a week for the past year, and yes, I gave them out on Halloween... is that bad? Only recently has Caedmon realized he can eat these things, and so sometimes, I do allow him a few licks.)

It is for this reason I know Mr. Rod attends car shows and recently celebrated a birthday, and Mr. Chris has a daughter who just spent a summer abroad. It is for this reason they know I have a sister and nephew who are far away and who I miss dearly. It is for this reason that it is not just Caedmon who looks forward to garbage day, but I do as well, because it reminds me that there are yet genuinely kind and decent people out there who will stop and give a kid a lollipop and spread some good cheer and camaraderie.

For Halloween this year (which happened to fall on a Friday), Caedmon dressed up as Mr. Rod and Mr. Chris. They make our morning every week, and I hope that yesterday morning, we helped make theirs.

Caedmon was actually very overwhelmed with all the sudden commotion and attention. Though he LOVES these trucks, he's still a super shy boy and kept looking down, even after Mr. Rod gave him a lollipop. (Note Wayne's flip-flops on my feet.)

It looks like Caedmon is running with open arms towards Mr. Chris. I'm going to keep this real—Caedmon is backing away.

And then he whines when Mr. Rod and Mr. Chris get back into their trucks to go. This is the case with all people he expresses displeasure at upon meeting. (And I have to explain, "He really does enjoy your company...")

And then, see? He's happy again.

my little introvert...

While trick-or-treating, Caedmon carried his candy in his garbage truck. I was actually VERY proud that he braved walking to strangers' doorsteps! We had to watch a few groups of kids come to our house first, but this is testament to how much he loves candy!

Going through his loot while Lucy looks on... What a fun day and night!