pants!

you know those big bins the Salvation Army or Goodwill have in grocery store parking lots? the ones you’re supposed to put “good, used clothing” in? i never thought that people actually used them. i figured kids would think it was funny to put their neighbour’s cat in or maybe a purse snatcher might dump the Dolce in it after swiping the cash. i didn’t honestly believe that people would put their charitable items in a container in the middle of public where anyone and their cousin Guido could come and take stuff. then again, i didn’t honestly think anyone would try to break into one of them because, well, there couldn’t be anything in it and it’s for CHARITY, dammit.
well, i was wrong on all counts. people actually do put their old clothes in those bins and other people actually do break into them and steal things meant for charity.
this morning on the way to work, i witnessed a woman in an orange touque (which should have been a sign of good taste and common sense) rifling though the spoils of an opened and emptied Goodwill bin. right there, on the street. she obviously knew she was doing wrong; it was like watching those game shows where they put the people in a booth with flying money and they’re madly scrambling to get as much stuffed down their pants as they can before the fan cuts off.
the thing is, she wasn’t extraordinarily grubby. she was actually quite slacker-chic (not that i’m someone anyone (but Mel) should listen to about fashion). i know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but i can’t help but think this woman just thought “FREE CLOTHES” and started sifting before a cop drove by (it’s near a Tim Horton’s, the odds were good).
if my light hadn’t turned green, i’d totally have taken a picture for you.