Free The Fight Within by Tiana Laveen Page A

Hahahaha!
    The moon hadn’t kissed that shit goodbye at all; rather, it said, ‘See you tomorrow…or perhaps the following week, my Love.’
    She grabbed her phone and searched for the sanitation department number, trying to keep her cool so she could concentrate. After locating it, she immediately dialed the damn thing, almost cracking a nail in her torment.
    “Yes, this is Ms. Chambers on Lyons Place. This morning I received a note from one of the trashy people. I mean,” she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “…one of the trash collectors , and it states that my garbage was left on the curb due to weight violations. I had no knowledge of this, and now, my trash is still out there and I have no way to bring it all back in. It can’t stay out there all week. I need another resolution.”
    “Ma’am, let me transfer you to—”
    “No, I don’t want to be transferred. I want someone to please come out here and get this trash!” Standing in her parlor, she pointed toward her open front door. “With as high as my property taxes are, and HOA fees, you’d think you all could do this, just this one time! I’ve never had a lot of trash in front of my house, and the one time I do, it’s just left there, and I’m not even given a warning as a courtesy.”
    “Ma’am, I’m sorry about the inconvenience. I need to put you on hold and transfer you.” Before she could protest, she was listening to an instrumental karaoke version of Liza Minnelli’s, ‘Cabaret’.
    Treasure huffed and resolved herself to the fact that chances were slim this would turn in her favor. Arguing with these red tape folks never went well. She and Brian would be hauling all of that crap back into the garage. She’d no doubt have to hear all of his mumbling and complaining along the way, too. Six minutes later, a man that clearly didn’t give a fraction of a damn got on the line, working on a wad of gum with brute oral force.
    “Ms. Chambers, this is Mr. Duncan. How are you?”
    “…Covered in trash.” she said coolly.
    “Yeah, uh, sorry about that. It looks like our employee left a warning two weeks ago, though.”
    “I received no warning.” She lifted her chin high, cast her glance back out the front door and winced at the ugly sight.
    “Well, when he got back here, he left a copy in the bin…”
    “It must’ve fallen off, I received no warning,” she repeated.
    “Well, we can’t have someone pick up the trash. You’ll have tuh wait ’til next week. Typically, as long as everything is bagged up properly, the weight rules are ignored, but you can’t have un-bagged and unboxed materials just lying about. It is dangerous for our workers, Ms. Chambers.”
    “Yes, Lord knows the dangers and perils to sanitation workers here in Westchester County is high! All over the worldwide news, they interrupt tales of muggings, gang related violence, and grisly murders to break out with stories about a hangnail one of your sanitation engineers received out here on the mean, dangerous streets of Larchmont Manor. It’s merciless mayhem, I tell ya!”
    “Alright, all that’s not really necessary, Ms. Chambers,” he said lazily between more obnoxious chews.
    “Look,” she rolled her eyes, “I will have to take care of this on my own I see, but please know, I’m beyond disappointed. It’s not like I have a history of this. If I’d seen a note last week or the previous one, I would have definitely paid attention to it. I am not that sort of person.”
    “I’m sorry, Ms. Chambers. It’s nothing personal, but rules are rules.”
    “Yes, I can hear how heartbroken you are over the entire matter. I’m certain you’ll toss and turn all night about it…and stop smacking in my ear. You sound like a damn cow!” She quickly disconnected the call and made a mad dash up her steps to her bedroom. Thrusting the door open, she let it bang against the wall, then marched to her dresser drawers and pulled out a pair of taupe leggings