Dumpster Dives on Easter Sunday

I shared this brief anecdote right before we started the service (which is supposed to start at 6pm but we usually pull it off around 6:10-to the delight of some and annoyance of many others...but anyway...) I was leaving my house which is about 2 blocks from the church and I am loaded down with gear that I need for the service--you know, like communion bread, grape juice--you know minister stuff.

Across the street is the rear of the William Way Community Center--THE GLBT Center in Philly and as far as I am concerned THE GLBT Center in the nation for all of the creative things they do. They had a dumpster delivered to their back alley which faces my front door. It's not exactly a newly planted cherry tree in bloom but whatever--it's the city.

All day Sat, folks from the center were busy with spring cleaning--hurling boxes from the top floor with zeal to the dumpster below. They filled it near to the brim. Fast forward back to Sunday as I am on my way to the church for Easter service...and what do I see but the legs and 'Timbaland' boots of two guys who had hoisted themselves up to the top of the dumpster's brim and fallen in face first in pursuit of treasure. As I stopped to watch, one guy righted himself and threw a pile of t-shirts (like 200) onto the street below.

Just then my next door neighbor, an elderly shut-in woman (who is tough as nails since she has lived in this neighborhood for over 40 years--not for the timid). She sees me and says, 'Hello, Bill. I was just leaving to head over to your church for the service. I am not much of a church-goer but it is Easter after all.' And then says to me, "excuse me...Hey! YOU 2! Get the HELL out of that dumpster!"

As the guys looking startled peer up from their work, to see who is yelling at them. They say, "sorry lady! we will be outta here in a minute." And then the one guy--Reggie--recognizes me and says, "Yo! It's the Pastor! What's up?"

Reggie stays @ 315 South-BSM's homeless cafe. He has been with us from the start. He said, "yo! I was just about to head over to the service when my man here told me that there were a pile of T-shirts in this dumpster. I ran over here to grab em with him so we could share 'em with the folks over at the church who stay the night. They're nice right?"

He holds up a shirt and there before me is the GIGANTIC head of Elton John from some recent tour. There had to be 400 t-shirts in all. So there we were: myself, the 2 guys from 315 South and my elderly neighbor schlepping 400 Elton John t-shirts (from the William Way Community Center) over to the church about 5 minutes before Easter Service was to begin. Me in my preachers uniform (suit and 'trying too hard to be cool open collar shirt'), my neighbor in her Sunday Easter best (sort of sensible skirt/blouse number with a floral scarf complete with brooch) and two guys in long white T-shirts, black jeans, Phils hats and Timbaland boots--all carrying these ridiculous Elton John shirts. I can't stand Elton John's music. I like the shirts though--particularly on Easter.