As an intrepid reporter, I’ve covered a wide variety of subjects during my time here at the Perch. From taking hundreds of pictures at various school sporting events to interviewing some of Sunlake High School’s most inspiring figures, I’d thought that nothing at this school would surprise me. But even I wasn’t prepared for what would end up being my most challenging and enlightening interview yet.
For my final assignment here at the Perch, I wasn’t merely content to tread any paths treaded by others before me. I wasn’t about to interview any Nick, Tom, or Daisy for my final article. No, I decided that I would attempt to do something never attempted before in Sunlake history. So I decided to reach out to a member of arguably one of the most marginalized groups within the Sunlake High School Community: I decided to reach out to one of the trash cans of Sunlake High School.
One week later, I approached Trash can #34-SLHS our scheduled interview in front of the 10 building. It was rather quiet at first. I assumed it was judging me for my tardiness, as years of watching student after student being late to classes must have hardened its figurative heart towards such behavior. Nonetheless, I apologized for my uncharacteristic tardiness and pulled out my pen and notepad, hoping to signal an eagerness to commence the interview.
We ended up sitting in silence for a quite bit. I attempted to crack a few jokes to lighten up the mood. But the Trashcan must be more of a stand-up comedy type of appliance, as it didn’t laugh at any of my carefully curated dad-jokes. Yet one way or another, I was going to get this interview done.
Interviewer: “So, what is it like being a Trashcan?”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “………………….”
Interviewer: “I see. What’s the best part of being a Trashcan?”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “………..”
Interviewer: “Not that many perk huh?”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “……………………………….”
Interviewer: “….What would you say is the worst part of being a Trashcan is?”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “……”
Interviewer: “Ah, you must have signed an NDA about that topic, could I ask you a different question then?”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “………………..”
Interviewer: “Not much of a talker are you?”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “…………………………………………………..”
Interviewer: “Ok then, I’ve been wondering about this for a while: What do the Graffiti on your side mean?”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “………………………”
Interviewer: “OH MY STARS WAS THAT AN INAPPROPRIATE QUESTION?!?!?!? I AM SO SORRY IF I OFFENDED YOU!!!!!”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “……………………………………..”
Interviewer: “Are you mad? Would you like me to end this interview?”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “….”
Interviewer: “I guess I’ll stay then.”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “………………………………”
Interviewer: “….so what made you choose to become a trashcan?”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “………………………..”
Interviewer: “Yeah I get it. Sometimes things just happens y’know?”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “…………………”
Interviewer: “You excited for summer?”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “…………………”
Interviewer: “Who am I kidding, everybody is.”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “…………………”
Interviewer: “So what’s the most interesting piece of garbage you’ve had put inside of you?”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “……………………………………..”
Interviewer: “Do you have anything interesting inside of you at the moment?”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “…………….”
Interviewer: “Do you have ANYTHING inside of you at the moment?”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “…”
Interviewer: “….Would you mind if I looked inside of you?”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “………..”
As Trashcan #34-SLHS didn’t object to my query I quickly opened it’s lid and took a peek. Inside I found a bunch of empty food packets, a few half-empty Starbucks cups, a crumpled up love letter addressed to Matt Strangelove , a DVD copy of “The Greatest Showman”, and some broken pencils. It was only about a quarter full, which struck me as quite unusual.
Interviewer: “I’ve noticed that you are unusually empty for a Trashcan.”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “…”
Interviewer: “Is this perhaps a source of insecurity for you?”
Trashcan #34-SLHS merely stared at me with nonexistent eyes, judging me in silence.
Maybe Trashcan #34-SLHS was jealous of other Trashcans for being used more often. Perhaps Trashcan #34-SLHS was insecure about it’s squeaky lid and the gum on it’s sides. Perhaps it’s felt quite empty inside lately due to AP testing, as AP students account for 78% of Trashcan #34-SLHS daily waste. Trashcan #34-SLHS might possibly feel a bit worthless inside because of this, although of course Trashcan #34-SLHS would never admit this out loud and this is just pure speculation on the interviewer’s part.
Interviewer: “Next question. Compared to the other Sunlake High School Trashcans, you must quite isolated as the 10 building is quite removed from the campus and you are the only Trashcan in the vicinity of the building. Would you say this an accurate statement?”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “…………………”
Interviewer: “I’ll take that as a yes! How do you feel about this?”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “………….”
Interviewer: “That bad? Did you at least have a say in the matter?
Trashcan #34-SLHS was apparently flabbergasted at my audacity to ask this question, as it remained quiet on the matter.
Interviewer: “I’m sorry if this question is hard for you to answer. It must bring up some not-so-good memories for you, right?”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “…….”
Perhaps it was quietly thinking of bygone days.
Interviewer: “………..”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “…….”
Interviewer: “……………..”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “………………………………”
Interviewer: ” Is there anything else you’d like to say?”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “……………”
Interviewer: “Like, anything at all?”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “……………………………………………….”
Interviewer: “Really? Nothing?”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “……………….”
Interviewer: “Does this interview mean nothing to you?”
Trashcan #34-SLHS: “…………………………………”
Interviewer: “Fine. I’ll just go then. Thank you for your time. This is Hanns S. Trias, logging out for the last ti-“
And that’s when I looked into Trashcan #34-SLHS’s metaphorical eyes and saw…well saw everything.
I saw the factory where was made.
I saw it get off of the trashcan delivery truck.
I saw it being put in the cafeteria.
I saw the first time someone put garbage into it.
I saw the first time it overflowed.
I saw it’s first date at trashcan prom.
I saw all the good times it had with it’s fellow cafeteria trashcans.
I saw a construction crew showing up to campus.
I saw the county inspectors inspecting Building 10.
I saw it’s bitter final goodbye to it’s former best friend Trashcan #27-SLHS.
I saw the time a Sophomore puked all over it during prom.
I saw a tree branch ram into it during Hurricane Milton.
I saw the bitter cold harden it’s exterior.
I saw dozens of tennis balls hitting it.
Countless papers, countless bottles, countless pencils, countless tissues, countless college admissions letter, countless perfect scores, countless confessions, countless masterpieces, countless hopes, countless dreams.
It remembers all that was once inside of it.
Day after day the Trashcan #34-SLHS does it’s job without comment or complaint. It’s merely content to exist. Changed yet unchanged. Old yet new. The only thing certain about life is it’s uncertainty. Thus the Trashcan #34-SLHS can only persist as time marches on. There is no meaning, there is only stuff that is to be meant.
I saw the trashcan as it is now.
Empty yet full. Fuller than most people will ever be.
As photographer/reporter, I’ve been taught not to interfere with events or people. My job has been to observe, silently record information, and give a friendly simile or comment if noticed. But dear reader, how could any human being remain passive after such a rousing display of humanity?
So for the first time ever, I broke my own rules. I hugged Trashcan #34-SLHS. I hugged Trashcan #34-SLHS so hard that one of the AP Teachers walked out after a few minutes and asked if I was okay. I wiped away the tears from my eyes and said,”Yes, Yes I am. I am even more than okay.” and continued hugging the trashcan,”All thanks to it, I’ve realized the meaning of life.”
I stayed like that for another 10 minutes, while the teacher mentioned something about retiring early and went back inside.
__________________________________________________________________________________
It has been two weeks since the interview, yet I can never go back to the person I was before that.
Sometimes, I spot Trashcan #34-SLHS as I walk down the hallways. I try to give it a friendly wave or high five, but as always Trashcan #34-SLHS doesn’t react.
Maybe it thinks I’m too far beneath it, maybe it thinks I’m a lost cause, maybe it simply doesn’t want to listen to me. Yet I firmly believe that this experience has change it just as much as it has changed me.
One day I hope to do to someone else what Trashcan #34-SLHS did to me, but who else would listen to such rubbish trash-talk?
