Tigers in Trash Cans

Now let me start by saying that, this is not a rant on animal welfare or city garbage disposal systems.

The other day as I was coming down the steps at school I happened to look out over the wall and saw the strangest sight. Down the block a man was standing next to one of the large industrial dumpsters (the kind that seem to sit on every street corner and parking lot in this city). At his feet was the limp form a large orange and white tiger. The animal was draped over the curb like rubbish bags, and as I glanced back, the man heaved the limp form over his head and hurled it into the trash can. I was immediately shocked and angry. It wasn’t until the tiger was almost in the dumpster that I realized that the creature was a tad more limp then a being with a spine could possibly be.

As it turned out it was a life size stuffed animal that was being tossed out. Why on earth a person would want a life size stuffed tiger is beyond me, and why, especially, when that person lives in a tiny apartment where said tiger would half take up the bedrooms… space and logic aside, my anger instantly disappeared, and I laughed all the way to my next meeting. The real point, however, was that I could have walked away after the first glimpse with a rather exciting tale but a sadly misinformed perspective. Often it takes more than a cursory glance to truly understand a situation, and often anger, while seemingly justified, could easily be turned aside if one takes the time to delve a bit deeper into understanding the situation.