An afternoon's pondering.

I had a large detergent bottle, and a paper bag full of recyclables. Normal stuff like contact lens solution bottles, small cardboard boxes, stuff like that. I was on my way to go grocery shopping so I thought I’d bring them down and put them near the dumpster in case any of those people who collect recyclables come. Out of the apartment, lock the door, wait for the elevator, ‘Ding’, and the doors slide open. A boy is inside. Sweaty, pudgy, and looking impatient. Probably going down to play with his friends. He looks at me. He presses the ‘close’ button several times. I told you he was impatient right?

He moves closer forward to the elevator doors, as if that would make him reach his destination just a bit faster. He looked at me up and down again. I stared at him right in the eyes. What d’you want, kid? Kid looks like he’s suppressing a smile. Like he’s thinking of something. Door opens. We step out. He goes forward, I turn backwards towards the dumpster. I hear him calling out to me.  Turn to look at him.

“Are you throwing that away?” he asks in a heavy accent, gesturing towards my detergent bottle.

“Yup”

“Can I have it?”

I hold it out to him. He peeks at the paper bag in my hand.

“Do you have anything else?”

“These are boxes. Do you want them?” I ask.

He eagerly nods. I hand them to him. He thanks me and trots away happily.

I hope you achieve great things, kid.