"Filthydelphia", Possessive Trash, And People Poop

I was in South Philly, and couldn't believe that in this day and age, people still throw trash on the ground. They STILL LITTER. and when I volunteered to clean it up, the Dunkin Donuts owners were hesitant to let me. HESITANT!!! I had to PLEAD TO CLEAN UP FOR THEM!!!

Julie Hansell

So, I went to some Tile Place

with a friend

on Washington

and 15th Street

In Philly

Got out of the car,

And stepped into a sh*t-pile

Of everything

That every person who

Has ever lived in Philly

Owns.

They just dumped it.

There.

On the sidewalk

Bottles, broken glass,

Cups, cigarettes, ketchup packets,

Cheetos, plastic bags, a seashell.

And I couldn't even handle it.

So I did my random act of kindness

For today.

I went to the Tile Store

and asked for a trash bag.

He looked at me funny look,

But gave it to me.

The gloves that I keep in my bag

ripped when I put them on.

(Always prepared:

I still carry them around

from my years at Bancroft)

So, I went to Dunkin Donuts

And asked them for gloves

to clean up the trash.

The counter workers

(not one American),

all gathered around me

and wanted to know

"What trash?"

I said the trash in the street.

They asked:

"What trash in the street?"

I said "I don't know,

the trash in the street,

the trash in the street"

Because if you say something twice

It has more impact.

So they gave me gloves.

And I walked around

And picked up safe trash.

No glass.

Nothing that looked like anybody's

mouth had been on it.

And I filled the bag about halfway.

But I stopped when I got

To a pile of poop.

People poop.

Seriously?

So I turned around, and brought

the bag to the girl

who was outside Dunkin Donuts

cleaning, and sweeping

up the trash around there.

I said "Here you go!"

She asked what it was.

I said "it's trash."

She shook her head,

she didn't want it.

I said, "It's trash,

right here,

trash from in front of your store,

I'm doing your job for you,

trash, it's trash."

She said no.

I smiled, took my gloves off,

plopped the bag of trash on top

of her sweepy broom thing anyway.

Then turned around and left.

So if you go to the Dunkin Donuts

On Washington Ave

Be wary.

They're possessive of their trash.

They don't want you to pick it up for them.

If you do clean it up anyway,

don't put it in their dumpsters.

And watch out that you don't step in people poop.