I lived in a small town and there was a guy who’d ride his bike everywhere, with big metal panniers usually filled with soda cans. He’d be out in all weather, with high-visibility gear on, and would travel all miles outside of town with hundreds of cans piled on his bike.
When I asked people about him, they said he had a learning disability and lived with his mom, and would sell the soda cans for a little spending cash. Everybody loved him, especially the town government who paid him a stipend to clean up the town and let him keep anything he found. Since I helped at the local farmer’s market I met him quite a few times and he was always cheerful and friendly.
And people in high places would say he’s “useless” far too often. Oh well.
Glad the municipality at least recognized his efforts, I just mean that in general that doesn’t happen. Really shows that town had better priorities than most.
AFAIK he’s still doing okay. And the town definitely had its priorities straight. They kept out a Walmart and two chain restaurants because they didn’t want to change the character of the town.
I lived in a small town and there was a guy who’d ride his bike everywhere, with big metal panniers usually filled with soda cans. He’d be out in all weather, with high-visibility gear on, and would travel all miles outside of town with hundreds of cans piled on his bike.
When I asked people about him, they said he had a learning disability and lived with his mom, and would sell the soda cans for a little spending cash. Everybody loved him, especially the town government who paid him a stipend to clean up the town and let him keep anything he found. Since I helped at the local farmer’s market I met him quite a few times and he was always cheerful and friendly.
And people in high places would say he’s “useless” far too often. Oh well.
Glad the municipality at least recognized his efforts, I just mean that in general that doesn’t happen. Really shows that town had better priorities than most.
I hope the guy is still doing okay?
AFAIK he’s still doing okay. And the town definitely had its priorities straight. They kept out a Walmart and two chain restaurants because they didn’t want to change the character of the town.