Prepping for the school year is arduous. Especially if one does most of everything on foot in New York City!

When I went to the Library to pick up books for the school year, I had more than I could handle.

The librarian looked at me and I looked at her.

I’mma go and get a cart. I can’t carry all of this.

Yeah, girl, I was about to say. You can make two trips.

I know but I should get them now because when school starts I won’t be able to get over her in time to pick them up.

Okay, then, I’ll hold them for you.

I left but really didn’t want to go all the way home to get a cart.

When I got the end of the block, I thanked God for the Bronx! There was a huge orange cart full of recycling items without an owner.

I felt bad about littering but I didn’t want the owner to come back to the spot and not see the cart and their bottles! So, I put all the recycling bottles on the ground along with the decorative cigarette lighter and took the cart.

The librarian was surprised to see me back so fast.

I found that cart on the street.

Wait, what?!

She looked outside and we shared a laugh.

You got to move fast now because I don’t want the owner to return before I return it! The paranoia is already kicking in!

She placed the books in bags and Jabari, the security guard, placed them in the cart for me.

While I was walking home, I looked at the cart handles and noticed that the cart was really a neighborhood cart! Somehow it traveled all the way from Home Depot which is a hour way on foot and once belonged to the neighborhood Supermarket, Fine Fare. Someone had put Fine Fare stickers all over it covering Home Depot.

Of course after my long walk and laborious journey, I left the cart on the block.

The next morning, someone had moved it around the corner and when I got back from Brooklyn, It was parked outside the chicken spot.