Trash Can Showdown

When I was very young, maybe in first grade, my teacher was one of the smartest people I’ve known.  She encouraged students to do simple things that everyone seemed to be excited to do.  Want to clean the erasers?  “Yeah, choose me!! Pick Me!”. Kids would almost clamor for acceptance to do such a menial task.  Need the trash taken out?  “ME, ME, ME!” students’ voices hit a high peak, as if they were chosen to be the next contestant on a game show! So, it is fair to say I went along with this new found excitement.  Everyone else wanted to carry a jug of water for art class, why wouldn’t I?  To have your five minutes of fame for being teacher’s pet? Heck, yeah!

One day, after an art project, teacher asked for someone to bring the garbage can back up to it’s normal position, next to her desk, at the front of the class.  Again, the “Me! Me! Me!” and rigorous hand-waving ensued.  It’s a good thing my parents didn’t catch on to this deal or I’d be jumping up and down to clean toilets or something at home!

Today was MY day!!  I was the chosen one!!  All decked out in my ruffled dress and hair slicked back into tightly braided pigtails, this short, somewhat rounded elementary student was IT!  My moment!  I was better than all of you… ne ne ne ne!.. I thought.  There was something about this system that gave each student picked a sense of superiority for at least a short while.  I was going to live up to my role as “Trash Can Returner Extraordinaire”!

I walked to the back of the class and realized once I was face-to-face with this large, grey, barrel-shaped trash can that it was almost bigger than me! However, this did not deter me.  I wrapped my arms around it, only partially able to give it a bear hug and started walking, sliding it, pushing it up the aisle to the front of the class. 

Just as I reached the front of the class, and in full view of everyone, the unthinkable happened!  The darn trashcan fought back.. with a vengeance, no less!  Down went the can, rolled over on it’s side as if to dramatically refuse to put up with this any longer.  It was like a tug-of-war with an inanimate object implying “I’m over this game! Deal with it!”  Well, my dealing with it concluded as I rolled over the can, feet off the ground, ruffled dress and all.  “Tail over teakettle” as my grandmother would say.  “Ok, maybe no one saw that” I thought as I lay suspended on the trashcan.  Teacher hurriedly scooped me up, dusted me off and directed me back to my desk.  “I REALLY don’t think anyone noticed.” I assured myself.

I learned a lesson from my experience that day.  No matter how special you think you are... the moment may be fleeting.  Always remain humble.