Stealing - to be continued

In wrinkle-free pants, a flowing top, and several rings flashing as she waves at my truck, a tall white woman with blond hair cupping her ears approaches me to question me about monsanto and the meaning of my mural.

She wants to "go organic" but she's not convinced it is worth it. I talk with her about the cost to the farm worker and the mother earth, if she doesn't value the cost to herself and whomever else she's responsible for feeding.

A man is approaching the recycle bin, which stands overflowing about 10 feet from the truck. My newly informed companion starts loudly, over the sound of glass and plastic bottles and tin cans dropping into his plastic bag, spouting off about stealing from recycling bins.

I have to equally loudly challenge her concept of "stealing". Really, a homeless fellow working harder than you've ever worked in your life to make money for a meal and you consider that "stealing"?

She is startled by my loud, fierce response but my first concern is not her, but the man who is forced to dig thru blue bins before he can eat.

Where did we ever get the concept of what is stealing: the concept that taking glass bottles and plastic bottles from recycling bins as “stealing” and not as poor & homeless people trying to support themselves.

Yet a CEO getting paid $53,000 an hour is not stealing???

Can't wait to get on the road....