Who gave me a fish...

I recycle.  Only I don't turn the cans and plastics in.  I give them to a gal who goes through my neighborhood looking for cans and plastic.  I'm not sure how long ago it started, but one morning when she came I gave her a few bags of the cans we had.  She was so grateful! She thanked me over and over.  I did it again and soon decided that i would give her our cans all the time.  Sometimes it isn't very much, but sometimes its a large can full.  She tells me i'm good people.  Yet each time she walks away, i'm the one in tears.  i'm the one thinking it isn't right, that i need to do more.  She never expects me to bring them out and sometimes I have missed her.  Yesterday she came by, I stood in my window and held out a finger to tell her hold on.

She thanks me like I'm giving her a thousand dollars each time.  This time she took my hand as she said thanks.  Her hand is very cold.  She is always happy when I come out, even gets a little excited.  Then, she walks away, continuing through my neighborhood collecting what she can find.  I keep thinking what else can i do, i want to buy her a scarf.

Then there was today.  A knock at my door around 6am.  I hear her voice and wonder why she is calling me.  I open the door to this big smile and she shows me a bag she put on the door knob.  She says, "I give you a fish" and points again.  A woman I know only has "the recycle lady," who is grateful that I give her my cans, who's English is minimal, who gave me a fish...

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