Over the years of people moving out of the complex and leaving pieces of their lives down by the dumpster, I've collected a nice table, a CD rack, a couch, a chair and a halogen lamp.
But this year, I look out at the dumpster and only see garbage. People are actually throwing away junk this year. They're not caving in to their laziness and leaving a perfectly good loveseat behind. They threw away the mattress with cum stains all over it. And the chair with the frayed arms. A bookshelf with broken shelves. Half of a sectional couch with cigarette burns on the cushions.
Looking at all of the worn out furniture makes me a little bit sad. Because everyone and everything eventually outlives its usefulness. And who's to say that I'm not going to be the next one settling in down by the dumpster? Surrounded by bits and pieces of shrugged off years that are lost forever.