Salvage Day: The Best Day There Is

So for the last year I have been working as a maintenance man.  Actually, I am the low rung on the maintenance ladder, a Porter.  That means I usually deal with garbage, other people's garbage.

One thing I am asked to do is clean out apartments after people have left.  I have had some in horrible condition.  I've seen some in okay condition.  But never have I found one in acceptable condition.  That's due to them not needing me if it's clean.  I get called in when it looks like a hurricane hit the apartment.

So today I really got to have fun.  The apartment is on the second floor.  So I end up walking up and down steps for half the day.  Most of the garbage was already bagged.  I just had to move the garbage outside the door, down the steps, to the golf cart, and drop it off at the compactor.  Since the cart only holds so much garbage I ended up making something like eight trips. 

The one good thing about being the clean out guy is that, the spoils go to you.  If you see something you like, you can salvage it.  Since it's going in the trash anyway, they are completely okay with you taking things you might like.

So I was able to salvage a few things. 

1.  A half full (not half empty) bucket of exterior satin (somewhat blaze) orange paint.

2.   Some lavender soap for Mom.  She loves the soap.  Just can't get enough of it.  So I figured soap in a package couldn't possibly go bad, so I brought it home, and she loves it.

3.  This really fancy looking clock.  I just didn't have the heart to throw it out.  I figure there's a use for it around here somewhere.

4.  Then I noticed what might be the strangest thing that was left behind.  A pair of old fashioned tea pots. 

Of course, I knew they couldn't be real silver.  No one would be crazy enough to leave real silver teapots behind.  That's when I turned it over and noticed this:

That my friends, is tarnish.  Silver tarnish.  That comes on a silver teapot.  Well, now I am really surprised.  I do admit, that I'm sure they aren't solid silver as that kind of silverware is usually marked on the bottom.  These don't have any such markings.  But I am at least pretty sure that they are silver plated.  So that's not too bad. 

Dad was joking with me about having a yard sale, but I think Mom is in love with the tea pots.  The soap was meant for her.  And I'm sure she will find a place for the clock.

As for the paint?  Well, it can be used for a few things.  Namely for painting parts of our tree stands.  It can also be used to paint parts of Dad's trailer.  The trailer is supposed to be painted red some time, but it may look good with orange highlights.  That will help people see it on the road. 

So I had a good salvage day.  Again, one person's skipped apartment is a clean-out dude's treasure.