I was having a pretty good day. Talked with my Marie-Anne for awhile this morning before she left for Portland with our daughter, Michelle. Got a few groceries. Covered the generator. Went to the transfer station. That last one...that's when my day turned on a dime!

When I pulled in, recyclables is the first area I come to. I pulled over and got the jugs out of the cab of my pickup and proceeded over to the various, large, containers which were marked for different types of plastics.

I'd done this before, so I'm no novice. I know the lids need to be placed separately. I was always told in the past to place them in the container with trash, where people put bags (that they use to carry the jugs in). Easy as can be!

I took my empty All container and unscrewed the lid and proceeded to throw it (The lid) into the receptacle with the bags and other assorted trash. As it was leaving my hand I hear someone shout (in close proximity), "LIDS GO HERE!"

Taken aback, I look up to see the man who is tending the recyclables pointing to a large, empty container next to the trash that I had just thrown the lid into. He was clearly none too happy with me but it was too late, the lid was somewhere in the garbage.

I pawed through the trash on top, looking for the lid. I didn't see it.

"I can't find it," I said.

I half expected a, "don't worry about it," as I proceeded to uncap the rest of my jugs. No such luck.

As I recycled the rest of my laundry, milk and food containers, the Lid Nazi was going through the trash looking for the lid. Couldn't he have waited until I left? Was this a way of making me feel guilty? If so, it worked.

Before I could turn and walk away, I broke down into tears. I needed a hug. I was, for the most part, inconsolable. Had it not been for a kindly older gentleman with a limp who was there to recycle some Allen's Coffee Brandy jugs, I might still be curled up in a fetal position with bags of garbage in the back of my truck. But the "Brandy Man" offered me a shoulder and a couple of nips, assuring me everything would be okay.

To the Lid Nazi: I know you were doing your job. I probably over reacted. I am, after all, a very sensitive fella. I would like to offer some advice, however, as a town taxpayer:

PLEASE, put a sign that reads LIDS on the container you want lids to be placed into. Thanks and, rest assured, I'm going to be okay.

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