David Sedaris, American author and public radio favorite, has an odd hobby. He spends his afternoons picking up road-side trash near his home in West Sussex, England.
"... There are forests, and it's just what beauty means to me. But English people throw everything out their car window, and the roadsides are carpeted with rubbish, so that's what I do with my life now: I pick up rubbish on the side of the road. I do it on my bike. I do it on foot. The local council has given me an outfit and a grabber."
Apparently he does such a good job that the town named a garbage truck after him, dubbing Sedaris "Pig Pen." Here's a photo, via the local newspaper:
Lord-Lieutenant of West Sussex, Susan Pyper said: “The sign on this truck is a very fitting way to say a huge ‘thank you’ to David for his tireless efforts picking up our litter and making our part of West Sussex a cleaner and more pleasant place to live.
“Not many people would give up many hours of their valuable spare time clearing up after others - he is a real local hero.”
Sedaris, to his credit, keeps the focus on the real story here: garbage.
Thrilled to have the vehicle named after him, David ‘Pig Pen’ Sedaris, said: “When I first moved to Horsham district three years ago I was struck by the area’s outstanding natural beauty but I was also struck by all the rubbish that people leave lying around the roads.
“I’m angry at the people who throw these things out their car windows, but I’m just as angry at the people who walk by it every day. I say pick it up yourself. Do it enough and you might one day get a garbage truck named after you. It’s an amazing feeling.”
