A Coke and a Smile

Today the nicest thing happened.  We save our bottles and cans from parties and dinners and us - just wash them and toss them in bags.

At first it was just because I was supposed to return them to the store, but  always forgot to take them with me when I went shopping.  Then, at some point it reached "critical mass" and even the thought of returning them was overwhelming.  But we kept adding to the store of bottles and cans.

Last week, though, I found a solution to my problem.  The volunteer fire department in our neighboring town was having a bottle drive.  It was my chance to give back to the guys who rescued my friend from her car when she really needed help *and* I could finally do something about all of those bottles.  A win-win!

So I loaded up the truck with as many bags as I could fit, even filled up the passenger seat, and I headed over to the fire station.

When I pulled in to the lot and took the lawn and leaf bag filled with bottles from the passenger seat, the ladies were so grateful for the donation.  They had collected a small box of bottles that they were washing.  They had no idea that everything in the pickup bed was for them also!  The women thanked me and asked if they were washed (yup - all washed).

Then I went back to the truck and started unloading the rest of the bags.  I could hear the excitement as they got it - all of the bags were filled with bottles for their fundraising drive.

They came over to help and we started carrying the bags out of the truck.  Who was I?  Where did I come from?  How had I managed to collect so many bottles!?

I told them my name and that I lived in the next town over.   Then I told them how grateful I was for their volunteer fire department's help with my friend - and all the times that they would come to help our volunteer fire department out.

I sort of glossed over the fact that the reason my DH & I have so many bottles is because I consistently forgot to return them!  No need to go there, eh?

I wished them luck with their bottle drive and hopped back into the truck.  As I pulled out, I could still hear their excitement.  "We're going to have to get a bigger truck!"

It really made my day.