Neighborhood Cleanup

I got an interesting note in my mailbox the other day - I was being called to neighborhood cleanup duty. I'd never been to neighborhood cleanup duty before. My wife was no help at all since she refused to go saying that women don't have to participate.

I set out 15 minutes before the meeting time, but I had a hard time finding anyone. I expected to see a group of people with brooms or buckets, but there was no one around.

Puzzled, I went around the block but didn't see anyone. As I was walking back home, I saw my neighbor and asked him if I had the right date. He went back in his apartment and asked his wife who came out and said it was indeed the right date and asked if I was going. I said I was, and asked if they were going - they weren't either. They pointed me in the direction of the meeting place.

Wondering if I was the only person going, I went to the meeting place where I saw three women doing something that looked like raking leaves. As I got a little closer I saw they were sweeping, and so I asked them where the party was.

They were surprised that I was joining them, and gave me a broom and asked me to sweep up some leaves. So I did, and I listened to their gossip while I worked. I also thought of the irony of me being the only guy there.

After a little while, the leaves were all swept up, and the ladies told me that they/we had to return the equipment. One of the ladies took me to the local park where some other ladies were doing some trimming. We put our gloves, brooms, and dust pans away and took a few coffees for the road.

I then went back home a little dazed and confused, but feeling good after a morning's work. Sign me up for the next one!