I thought of George Carlin on my way home tonight. He did a standup routine some years ago about being unable to throw away a trash can, because the trashmen kept giving it back to him.

Not long after I turned onto the Black Horse Pike this evening, I had to be prepared to avoid a large, oddly-shaped obstruction that was skittering across the highway. As I approached it (or it approached me), I realized that it was a large grey or white plastic trash can, which had apparently been blown into the roadway. Judging from the size of the dent in it, I think a big truck must have run it over. Imagine what a huge soda can would look like if it'd been stepped on by a giant foot. That's what this (possibly ex-)trash can resembled.

Anyway, I'm glad to say that the wind stopped pushing the trash can toward my traffic lane, so I didn't have to take evasive action. But as the trash can sat there in the middle of the lane to my left, I wondered if it was too damaged to press back into service. If it was rendered unusable, then someone, somewhere WOULD actually have to mimic George Carlin's routine and attempt to throw a trash can away. In that case, I wonder if they'd have more success than he did? :o)