The bus will be at the corner in fifteen minutes.”

The yellow school bus pulled away from the curb at eight fifteen, and the street went quiet under the autumn maples.

Once the rumble of the diesel engine had faded down the block, I went out to the blue recycling bin next to the garage door.

The heavy plastic lid was held open by three flattened cardboard boxes from my latest home office supply order.

I took a pair of heavy rubber work gloves off the garage shelf and started pulling out the top layer of old store flyers.