You don't miss it until it's gone

Thank you, whoever plucked the graffitied clothes dryer that spent three months in the mud, dust, and more mud across the river from where I live. The dryer showed up with a washer and with a small kitchen stove. The other two vanished, one by one.

Bright red scribbles appeared on the dryer.

But they were on private property empty of everything but weeds and dirt (and the illegally deposited machines), and the Washoe Sheriff's litter squad could not touch them.

Last month, the dryer fell over on one side, its door open and twisted.

I hope it didn't take too long for me to notice that it was gone.

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I faced a dilemma today and probably did the wrong thing. There was a car key, the kind with the computer chip, on the pavement where I parked at the U.S. Post Office in Sparks. It had a bright yellow paper tag with handwriting, like the tags auto repair shops attach to keys. Maybe like a parking valet might use. No name, no contact number.

I set it down on the curb, about 10 feet from where it was dropped. If the owner makes the rounds of "where did I have it last" it might be spotted. Or, some punk will take it and drop it in the sewer.

-30-