Look Where You Leap

Took Alice on a walk around the neighborhood this morning. As we passed random bits of litter, I would think to myself, "Aw, bummer. Garbage." Every once in a while I'd think, "Hey! That's recyclable!" So, approaching the umpteenth aluminum can, I decided to pick it up and throw it in the bottom of Alice's stroller. Then came a plastic water bottle, and I thought I could pick that up, too. Then I picked up another can, a bottle, a paper box, and on and on until I finally looked up and realized I was not in a very good part of town. I had followed an alluring trail of shiny recyclables all the way to a very uncomfortable situation where litter abounds and small clusters of shaggy-looking men loiter about and laugh loudly.

Yikes.

I high-tailed it out of there, trying to look all casual, square-shouldered and I-totally-came-here-on-purpose-so-don't-mess-with-me-ish.

They probably didn't care about me, Alice, or our stroller filled with garbage, but I was more than slightly relieved to get back to my neighborhood.