The Trash Plan

/ roughwighting

https://pixabay.com/illustrations/trash-can-trash-can-rubbish-bin-313711/PublicDomainPictures; trash pick up, blog storyEvelyn hadn’t seen Steve in over 25 years. They’d dated in high school. He was the cool jock; you know the type. Mussed up hair, tight grungy jeans, a permanent smirk on his handsome face. Evelyn was the goody-good cheerleader, top grades, anxious about getting into the “right” school.

Steve was her one rebellious act before she left high school. As soon as she received the acceptance letter to Princeton, she relaxed. Okay. Now, time to explore before the all-on battle to succeed in college and beyond. Steve had been eyeing her all football season – he the linebacker, Evelyn the cheerleading captain. They finally “hooked up,” as the kids say these days, in the Spring. He was rough and funny, smart and streetwise. And surprisingly, Steve was sweet. Completely sweet on Evelyn. He even used the “L” word.

They dated all summer, and then yes, she basically forgot about him once she arrived at Princeton. She heard through the grapevine that Steve got kicked out of community college – drugs “hooked” into him, unfortunately. https://pixabay.com/photos/garbage-truck-garbage-disposal-6756670/J_Blueberry

Now, as the rumble of the humongous trash truck races around her cul-de-sac, leaving behind her very full trash cans in front of the house for the third week, Evelyn stares at the man hanging on to the back of the truck.

His eyes are cold. Hard. It seems personal.

Shrugging, Evelyn walks back into her house – the “Trumpian mansion,” as her daughter Shelby calls it.  Shelby is quite disdainful of her parents’ way of living. Evelyn’s husband, David, derides his daughter’s contempt, but Evelyn understands it. In their expansive expensive home, the cold, distant, empty feelings curl tightly around the three of them. David and Evelyn dislike each other intensely, but he’ll never leave her, and she’ll never leave all that she’s worked so hard to acquire.

highway, lonely, empty, https://pixabay.com/photos/road-street-winding-winding-road-6175186/TobiasBrunnerOr would she? At 48, her life is as empty as her job as a corporate lawyer. The boredom stretches out in front of her like a long aimless highway with no exits.

EXIT! That word sends Evelyn straight to the summer before college, when Steve implored her to never leave him. “I’m not just an exit from childhood to adulthood,” he’d said. “I’m your road to happiness. I promise you.”

Suddenly, Evelyn knows exactly who the garbage man is, hanging on the back of that truck, refusing to pick up her trash.

Steve. Oh, how he must resent her. Hate her, even. Finally, Evelyn has a goal in front of her. She rolls the heavy packed trash cans from the driveway back to the garage. She dials the number for the trash company. And she hatches her plan. 

secret, thanks to Pixaby and philm1310

WHAT’S HER PLAN? Best guess gets a copy of my romantic suspense, Twin Desires, a novel of plans gone array.

 

 

114 thoughts on “The Trash Plan”

  7. Hmmm…I think Evelyn’s contacting the waste disposal company to do a little detective work — about the Steve “maybe” dude…he’s a lousy trash collector but what’s his actual identity? Is he really her high school Steve or is her memory playing tricks on her — due to her loneliness and longing? 😉

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  9. To have their asses come back and pick up that trash, Stwve or no Steve. Three weeks is a long time for trash cans to sit in the sun.

    Uh, I digress. 😆 She’ll catch up with Steve. The trash company probably won’t divulge his name for safety reasons but she’ll ambush the truck next week to catch up with him.

    Liked by 1 person

  11. I would be so mad if the trash truck didn’t pick up my trash for several weeks. I would raise such a stink (pun intended). I think I see a bit of a tangle in store for Evelyn.

    Just bought the book—can’t wait to read it! I’ve been meaning to for a long time, and this reminder gave me the push I needed. ❤

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  12. I thought I was reading a piece of flash fiction when I started. By the time I neared the end, I was thinking. . . this would make for an interesting novel. You obviously had the same idea. Well played, Pam.

    My guess is Evelyn calls the garbage company and complains, hoping that Steve’s boss will send him back to her house. At first, things are awkward between them, but then they rekindle a friendship. Evelyn encourages Steve to do more with his life. He returns to school, gets a teaching credential, becomes a special education teacher, and becomes the football coach at their old high school. Evelyn and David have a son who plays football. They make a substantial donation and build a new football stadium for the team. The son (David Jr.) becomes the team’s star, and they win the championship. In the process, Evelyn and Steve fall in love and get back together.

    🤣🤣🤣 Pretty cheesy, I admit.

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  13. Besides getting her trash picked up? Oh, she wants to see if her daughter is right and if there is more to life than a loveless relationship and a big empty house full of stuff that brings her no joy. I love these “write the end” stories. How fun.

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  14. Nothing much! It’s just that she wants her trash picked! But nah! just joking I believe Evelyn has feelings for Steve despite the hatred in her heart because of what happened. She just want to start things over again with Steve

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  15. That is interesting–what her plan will be. She’ll be surprised City trash collectors earn a lot of money! I used to work in that department. They’re well paid for their hard work.

    Are you going to tell us????

    Liked by 1 person

  17. I’m thinking Steve owns the trash company and found out who married a rich guy and lives in that big “mansion on the hill”. . .the wife of the rich guy is the girl who played with his heart that long ago summer. Evelyn may have a plan to make sure her trash is finally picked up but Steve has a better plan in mind.
    Even if I’m totally wrong, Pam–yours is a great story to make us return for the ending! 🙂

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      • Whoever said “Revenge is best served cold” could have had Steve on his/her mind. I’m sure Steve has thought of something fitting to have Evelyn regret her choices of a loveless marriage to a rich guy or a possible marriage filled with love to a guy working his way to riches. . . .

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        • I never quite understood that quote, but I’m getting it now, thanks to you. Cold revenge is scary. I hope Steve has a ” a little love left in his heart.” (I’m singing the song, “put a little love in your heart” by Jackie DeShannon. 🙂

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          • Okay–maybe Steve’s revenge is the petty one of not picking up Evelyn’s trash, but he might be thinking something worse but not following through because he does have a smidge of love in his heart for Evelyn. . . .Whooboy, Pam–you have so many pathways in your story!

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  23. Oooh I love it.. you got me intrigued. Hmmm…. I think she is going to call and find out if he is the one who owns the company and leave a message on their website about their exemplary service, to try and get his attention.

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  25. I’ve read all the comments and believe you could write the ending at least three different ways. I’m with Patricia, who thinks that Steve owns the trash company. In the sanitation industry or not, he knows how to engineer a pretty neat “rendez-vous” with Evelyn, though she may out-wit him based on your last sentence.

    Waiting with bated breath, Pam!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Oh boy oh boy oh boy. I’m waiting with bated breath for the ending of this trash saga as well. Wait….? Do I have to write it? As you say, this ending could go in so many directions, thanks to the comments here. I wish I could pick one of the commenters to finish up with Evelyn and Steve. Hmmmm.

      Liked by 1 person

  27. Oh my goodness! You’re so tricky, making us figure out a plan for Evelyn.

    I don’t know which trick she will use to find a way to talk to Steve. I wouldn’t have her call the company. She could just stand out beside her can when she hears the truck coming–if she isn’t at work, of course.

    There are two things I’m more interested in, though. She and her husband hate each other. Really? And she is beginning to feel that she has taken the wrong path in life. Those are two HUGE problems to be solved. Was she interested in something else before she went to Princeton and decided to become a lawyer? Maybe that interest would start to give her a path back. And maybe somehow talking to Steve would take her out of her bubble enough for her to start seeing other possibilities for her life. I’m going on too long, I guess. Time to fix dinner.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Nicki – you are on such a great track with wonderful questions about Evelyn, what happened to her marriage, and what she USED to enjoy. I wish you didn’t have to fix dinner. If you continued, you could have solved the plot for me!! Well, no trash involved as the plot thickens…. 🙂 THANKS for your comments – loved them.

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  30. She calls the trash company and demands a special pick up. She plans to have an affair with Steve to fill her loneliness. She thinks he will jump at the chance but surprises her with his contempt. It turns out Steve is doing an environmental study of waste disposal and has little respect for people who don’t recycle. But, of course, they both eventually fall in love with each other and happiness reigns.

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  31. Fascinating story here , I enjoyed reading it. Steve and Evelyn seemed like they will make a perfect couple but towards the end of this blog it seems as if the romance has died because everything was now trash, damn that’s terrible😑

    Liked by 1 person

    • EXACTLY. And that’s why Pete Springer won the “contest” and I’ve sent him my book Twin Desires. I believe that love wins in the end (and that’s not just romantic love, but a universal love). You know what I mean.

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