One Man's Trash

After being awake since 4am for a 5am shift, I was looking forward to sharing a Peet's Coffee & Tea Mango iced tea and good conversation with Kerry and our neighbor, Martin. I was mildly shocked when a man in a pick-up truck passed by us in the alley, rolled down the window, and actually spoke to us. "Excuse me. Ehhhh, you have furniture?" he asked, gesturing to his truck bed. It took us a moment to realize he was asking if we had any unwanted furniture that he could take off our hands. 

It's not atypical, especially on weekends, to see guys in pick-up trucks cruising the alleys for cast-offs of any type: mattresses, desks, tables, clothes, electronics, anything that will fit on that truck bed. With treasures piled higher than one would ever imagine possible, the men (and women, sometimes) carefully make the trek south back home . . . to Tijuana, Mexico, and families eager to see what the day has brought them. It's quite common in San Diego, actually. The goods are brought back to TJ and donated to families who need them. My neighbors joke that "those guys will take anything. Just leave it by the dumpster and it'll be gone by morning." It's kind of true. 

One man's trash is another man's treasure . . . 

So what was different about today's experience? I'll tell you. Today, the man could have continued down the alley, seeing nothing in plain sight that he could load up on his truck. But he didn't. He took the initiative, and he asked if we had anything we would like to give. He wasn't pushy. He was sincere, humble (his English "is not so good"), and he was kind. I couldn't pass up this opportunity.

Some of you are aware of my queen sized, solid wood loft bed. I used it for a few years, moved it twice (thanks to my dad and our family friend, Kyle, and Kyle's truck), before finally deciding I needed to downgrade to a more traditional box spring and mattress on a metal frame. That decision was made at least 4 years ago. It's always bothered me that such a beautiful piece of furniture, custom made for a couple that was in their 80s by the time I bought it for $600 (half what they were asking), was just gathering dust in my garage. And believe me, I tried to get rid of it. Posted it on Craigslist, contacted donation centers, hoped someone would want it. No takers, even free. It was simply too awkward and cumbersome to justify picking up. Not to mention, putting it together without essembly instructions (but I was willing to throw in wood stain that came with it!). By the time Kerry moved in, it became evident that I needed the space in the garage. Plus, I couldn't shake the guilt that perfectly good firniture was going to waste. 

So yes, this man driving by and asking, "You have furniture?" was quite a blessing. I told him I might, but we would need to see. I sized up the truck, which already had 2 flexible mattresses, a wood corner display case, a chair, and some other things. I must admit, I had my doubts. Besides, it's been years since I've seen all the pieces of the bed, and I've been lucky in the past having other people to help disassemble, move, and reassemble it. This man, though, was confident that it would fit. "No problem, no problem," he kept repeating with a smile. I told him it was heavy; he pointed to his large biceps. Okay, I thought to myself, this guy wants to try, more power to him. I opened up the garage, and he looked at the many pieces that comprise the monstrosity of a bed, lifted up a piece to check the weight, and declared, "Yes, I will take it." 

Together, Kerry and I helped who I later learned is Felipe Hernandez rearrange his truck and add every single last piece of that bed. He secured everything with numerous straps and ropes. As we worked and sweated, we talked about our families, our homes, and our jobs. He explained to Kerry that he would bring back all the items he collected and give them to a family in need in TJ. We talked about the violence in his country right now, and he surprised and briefly saddened both Kerry and me with a story about his coworker who was fatally shot last month by a gunman who randomly opened fire at a party. The man was playing guitar in a band over the weekend, didn't show up to work on Monday, and Felipe found out the devastating news later that day. To lighten the mood, he wrote down the name of a video on YouTube that his daughter posted of him and another family member dancing at a party. In the video, Felipe is playing guitar, wearing boots, shorts, and a sombrero. "Es muy chistoso!" he giggled (it is, by the way. If you want to see it, ask me, and I'll provide the YouTube link or video title).

So many lessons in this somewhat random interaction. Language barriers are only barriers if you give them that power. Nothing is impossible with a little help from your friends. Don't assume something won't work; try it, and then assess the situation. Along those lines, don't assume that just because what you want isn't out in plain view, it doesn't exist. ASK. And finally, be grateful. Be grateful every day for what you have and for what is passed on for you to enjoy.

It took us a full two and half hours to get the bed and all the additional items loaded into the truck and well secured. I discovered the bed on Craigslist over ten years ago. After watching the posting and realizing that nobody was buying it, I finally broke down and begged my parents to help me purchase and move it, making my childhood dream of owning a loft bed a reality. I am so incredibly thankful for this unexpectedly productive and heartwarming day. Thanks to one man making the most of an opportunity, somebody else will be able to enjoy that wonderful, albeit large, piece of furniture . . . which I am confident they will treasure for generations to come.

Felipe and his treasures.
If you would like Felipe to come pick up items you no longer use, I have his contact information.