Trashy CAT Curiosity

No I am not talking about some soap opera that you tune into daily to see people publicly deride pets and embarrass themselves just for the sake of entertainment. I can do those things privately through the comfort of my blog so who needs TV? No I am talking about my genuine fascination with the automated ‘armed’ Caterpillar brand trash truck who visits our neighborhood weekly.

Though that is a fun mental picture to imagine a robot trash truck marauding our neighborhood packing weaponry along with trash – that’s not what I meant. We have a new trash service where a truck and HUMAN operator pulls up street-side and a hydraulic gripper arm reaches down and out to grab our trash can. The machine then lifts and inverts the can into the truck hopper; and then with amazing agility, re-deposits the can upright and empty to the curb.

Like the Wells Fargo wagon of lore, no matter where I am in the house, when I hear that truck approaching every week, I feel compelled to run and peek out the window to watch its progress. It matters not if I am in the middle of brushing my teeth, tying my shoes, or even if my pants aren’t yet fully zipped and engaged . I will rush, tripping and dripping, shedding clothing or leaping obstacles to get a clear view of that amazing ‘Tonka’ truck. Ok, you might think it’s a ‘GUY’ thing; that’s somewhat understandable – ONCE, but every time?

I hate to admit to the similarity of our brains, but we had a cat once who had the same reaction to flowing water. Even if she was nowhere to be seen deep in the woods, if a sump would start to evacuate or if you turned on a hose – in mere seconds, that cat would be 6 inches from the flow ready to pounce. It was very odd and in her case irritating too. She refused to drink from a BOWL of standing water like normal cats. We were forced to invest in an electric operated water well, where a small pump would circulate water continuously (yes they make such a thing for goofy cats). Fortunately, our fears were alleviated because, not only did the cat drink, but the pump was whisper-quiet so she was not permanently locked in a trance staring at the moving water.

Fortunately my robot trash-truck fetish has not progressed to such extreme need or irritation for my family – OH WAIT … did you HEAR that? Is that a ‘full eject’, 40 cube, tandem CAT trash-truck and Alison transmission … on OUR STREET? Let me get the binoculars – JUST to be sure.