Whoopie Pies and Garbage Pickers

Ok, so I know I'm new to Boston, but there are two things I really feel need to be addressed about this city. While I know I recently emigrated from DC, and thus have a different set of city "norms" these things just don't seem right!

FIRST of all....what's up with the Whoopie Pies people?! I mean, they are EVERYWHERE! Chocolate and white, blue and pink and green!....fresh out of the oven and vacuum sealed! I went into Foodies the other day (the South End's version of a low-rate Trader Joe's), and there was a Fuchsia one all wrapped up like a Twinkie! Now I'm sure these pies are quite tasty and Delicious (right Red?)...I just can't get up the nerve to try one out. If someone has the inside scoop on this regional delicacy, please fill me in. Isn't it just a Ho-Ho, flattened out?

SECOND....I live in what I've been told is one of the nicer parts of Boston, the pretty, trendy, yummy and ethnically, sexually and socioeconomically diverse South End. While it is all that...and apparently much more, I've never in my life lived in a neighborhood where garbage picking was not only a hobby, but a profession and sport.

My block's garbage pickup is twice a week. I and my neighbors have been known to put out our trash early the evenings before. This is the start of the frenzy. No sooner do I put out my week's worth of slimy lettuce and used Q-tips, when I notice someone rummaging through the bags. And it' s not just me, it's all over the place! I'm not trying to sound insensitive, but since when did people start ripping open EVERY bag on EVERY block of a neighborhood, not caring about what nasty things they might have to fight through to get to the golden ticket? I lived in DC for over four years and never saw such a thing.

So, Blondee happened to be in town during my first official week here, and they didn't pick up the garbage until around noon on Friday. After helping me with a load of miscellaneous items, we were back in my apartment when she noticed a lady with a shopping cart walk off with my old suitcase and cowboy hat! Which I might add was buried in about 3 feet of nasty crap. Sure, if things are just sitting out there, they are fair game, but when did people risk disease and self decency to get a used and grimy hat from the Madonna's "Music" tour?

A few days later, I put out some things and saw a woman, who to ME didn't look homeless, down and out, or insane....she was well dressed and had a poking stick to help her prod through the mess! I saw her lift up my garbage bag, feel around for the treasures inside...then thought better of it, and buggered off. Perhaps she saw me looking at her? Perhaps she could sense that the only things in there were burnt English Muffins and tampon applicators? Either way, what was she doing?

Later on, I brought out an old but still functioning CD/Radio. A HOT commodity. I needed to get rid of it, but it was also sort of a test. I brought it out with 2 other bags, and placed it beside them. It was gone before I got back upstairs and could look out to see. Oh yeah, and about an hour later the bags were torn wide open.

Is it just me, or should a city like Boston, and the apparently posh neighborhood of the South End, try getting their garbage pickup schedule figured out? By noon on a Friday it looks like a refugee camp! Maybe it's just me, and I'm used to living in a building with garbage pickup...but for the sake of my neighbors and the poor garbage men who need to pick up the bags after it looks like they have exploded on the nice brick sidewalks...SOMETHING needs to be done!

Ok, it's midnight on a Saturday, and I'm writing about garbage.....I need to meet some nice floppy-haired Harvard man....or just get my white butt back to Africa.

ps...catch the new link on the side to our friend Ms. Harvey's Blog.