Replate It

A couple of months ago I began seeing an old woman everyday as I stood in line on Sansome Street to catch the bus. We've all seen her before. The layers of gray clothing, a knotted scarf, frayed cuffs, men's boots, one shoe lace short. She was going through the trash, opening containers, eating food from the spoon of her fingers. I tried not to watch but there I was, watching, stomach twirling and then I hopped on the bus really quick so I could make believe I hadn't seen her.

One day I had a banana in my purse, back when we were still eating bananas, and I stepped out of line to give it to her.

"Would you like a banana?", I offered, holding it out.

The woman paused. The bus line was quiet. She considered the banana. My heart started beating, thathump, thathump. I thought she was going to say, no. "Okay, I'll take it." she said and took the banana. I was so relieved.

I repeated the scene above with the old woman a number of times. She never said yes right away but I got used to it and then I didn't see her anymore.

I think she may be the reason that I was so touched this morning though when I went to the website replate.org which was mentioned in Leah Garchik's column.

Two young men are promoting leaving leftover food generally tossed in the garbage on the tops of the trash cans instead. It's so simple. It's brilliant. Read the FAQ's on their website. I did and their outlook made me cry. They are taking the pretending out of the fact that people eat out of the trash and offering a compassionate solution. I applaud them. They made my day. Help spread the word. Replate it.

5 comments:

Sailingacal29 said...

Hey, the link to replate it would not take ne there. But your blog about it it great. Thanks

Kale for Sale said...

Hey cute guy. The link works fine on my computer.

xoxo
kd

Emily said...

I love the idea of replate because I don't know how many times I've been stuffing food down the garbage disposal and sighing about all the people in the world...in this very town (maybe down the street) who are hungry. I don't know how I'll do it...Grandad did love the rest of the clam chowder for lunch, however. What I really need is for Marty and Isaac to live here again...because, let's be honest, they'll eat anything again and over and mixed with whatever.

JV said...

Hi Miss Kale For Sale

I love your idea for Replating it. I will try it and see how it works. It will take a little research to find a location but once I do I will let you know.

Thanks again for sharing a wonderful way to be involved.

Anonymous said...

Here's a related idea, which a friend of mine did yesterday. Rather than putting her empty cans of coke into the trash bin, she put them on the ground next to the bin, saying that they wouldn't be there for long before someone picked them up for recycling. Sure enough, when we returned to the car an hour later they were gone.

Katrina, I love your blog -- the writing, the pictures, how much of you shines from it. They always make me smile, and often laugh out loud.