I saw two young men rummaging through a dumpster in my apartment complex. Everything in there is fair game. It’s not unusual to see a pickup truck pull up and the occupants carry away some treasure. A yard sale bargain. Gotta make a few bucks, you know.

But these are the coronavirus times and there seems to be a greater sense of urgency among dumpster divers. Spruce up and sell. Put food on the table. Uncertain times call for more dives and more treasures to unearth.

I walked over to get a closer look and said howdy and got a friendly reception. I saw dozens of small parts for what looked like a lamp. But someone had dropped off a busted-up brass chandelier and these men were opportunists. One retrieved the parts from the dumpster, while the other polished the fixtures that glittered under the springtime sun.

“We’ll clean this up and get it working and try to sell it for $200,” the polisher said confidently.

“Well, it looks like you’re doing a good job of it,” I cheerfully remarked. Then, being chatty, I asked if they were excited about receiving the stimulus check from the federal government, due out a couple of weeks from then.

“You mean the $1,000?” the polisher asked.

“No, actually it’s $1,200,” I replied.

“Gee, thanks for the info,” he said, a look of genuine gratitude spreading across his face.

It was almost as if I had put $200 directly into his pocket.

The last time I saw them, the men were riding away on their bikes, with the polisher raising the chandelier high over his head, proudly, like an athlete lifting a trophy.

Today, he was a winner.

© Ron Cooper 2020