The Collector

I come from a family of collectors. They collect all things from memorabilia to coins. Each piece is unique and has it's own history. They are proud of each piece in their collection. Every time a new piece is added, it is like a new family member has arrived. This morning, I saw another type of collector. I was walking Shelby in my backyard when I heard a clanking noise. It sounded like metal scraping on concrete. At first, I thought that a workman was starting his job, very early. As I continued walking around the yard, I saw a figure pass by the front of my house. It was a man pushing a shopping cart. Today, was recycle day in my town, so everyone has cans and bottles in their recycle bins. The man was combing through the bins, searching for aluminum and any other items that have a 5 cent recycle fee. His shopping cart was half full. He looked homeless and wore ripped up old clothes. He must make his weekly money from other people's discarded trash. I stood behind a tree and watched him. I did not want to be noticed, as he might have felt embarrassed, picking through my garbage. There are two types of collectors. One does it for a hobby, one does it to live.