Catch... and release.

This morning, while out walking, Jack and I came across the most wonderful bit of sidewalk trash.

One of the many Catholic churches in the neighborhood had thrown out a big, old, wooden pew. One of the very long ones that would hold maybe 8 or 10 people. One of the side-panel-arm-rest-pieces was detached and therefore it was no longer standing on its own. Being that one girl and one dog could not schlep both the cool, carved wood end piece as well as the bench part itself the 4 blocks home, I opted to just take the beautiful (and heavy) end part. It was gorgeous, and I thought I might hang it on the wall of just prop it in a corner.

We passed a guy who asked with a smile "Did you steal that from the church?" and I told him that no, I didn't steal it from the church. But I did steal it from the gutter in front of the church. So we drug the item home, and hauled it upstairs, and then turned around to go back out and continue our walk. When we got back into the park,I could see across the street to the church where someone was now loading the pew (sans decorative end cap) into an orange PT Cruiser. A fellow sidewalk shopper! I ran over to him and asked what he was going to do with it. He said he didn't know, but he couldn't pass it up. I told him I had the other piece. His eyes lit up. "There's another piece?" he asked. I told what I'd taken, and then made the split-second decision that he needed to have that part as well. "Do you want it?" I asked. He very obviously did, so I told him to meet me on our street and I would give it to him.

Jack and I walked home and I hauled the wooden monstrosity back down the stairs and out to the street where the guy and his orange PT Cruiser were waiting. He was so happy. He said we was going to put it back together and make a couch. He also seemed to not comprehend why I was giving up my sidewalk treasure, but I told him the pew would be happier if was all back on one piece. He thanked me again and drove away.

I should've taken a picture before I gave it away, but I didn't.

I wonder if those cool, little old windows are still sitting on the curb over on Humbolt Street...