On Street Sweepers

Robert is at City Council tonight.  It is 10:55pm.  I texted him at 10:15 or so to see if he was coming home tonight.  --  Council meetings start at 7:00pm and are held every other Monday, with the other two being taken up by Planning Commission. --  I hate Mondays! 

Robert texted me back around 10:30 saying that they are discussing the potential purchase of a street sweeper.

This is our current sweeper.  We got it a few years ago.  It does a good job as far as I can see.  It certainly makes its rounds often enough and helps keep the dust down on the streets. 

Yeah, I think it does a good job.   

So when Robert texted me back with the new street sweeper story I was taken back.  Back to Brazil.  

For those of you who don't know, I served 14 of my 18 month LDS Mission in the interior of Brazil.  I loved it there!  Robert and I met in Brazil.  Life is so much simpler there --  I did not live in any of the large cities such as Rio or Sao Paulo.   So, when I say "simpler",  think Wyoming on steroids! 

This is what pops into my head every time I hear the words street sweeper:

and for the bigger cities, Renato Sorriso, the dancing Street Sweeper from Rio.  Ok, I just found this in Google images... details!

It is 11:15 and Robert is finally home. 

While I was living in Brazil, completely submerged in their culture and seeing these people actually sweeping streets, I couldn't help to wonder how we cleaned streets in the good ol' USA.  I couldn't remember ever seeing anyone pushing a broom on our streets.  I'm sure I would have remembered had I seen it.  Then, some other American missionary would tell me that we actually used machines that sucked up the garbage and dirt.  It was just amazing!!   I couldn't imagine it!

Just like I couldn't figure out how the church has a stake center by the Sao Paulo temple that has a basketball court inside with classrooms surrounding it.  It was amazing to think about it.  Here I was in the middle of Brazil, all the ward buildings had an outside volleyball/soccer court.  Trying to draw a picture in my mind of a normal US LDS ward building was difficult. 

Growing up 21 years in the United States as an active member of the church--every Sunday, every weekday in High School attending Seminary with near perfect attendance--and within 8 months of being submerged in Brazil, I could not remotely think American.  After almost 11 years of being home, I still have issues thinking American- remembering words or phrases, thinking and speaking in the proper English structure. 

I hope the City decides what it wants to do about the potential new Street Sweeper.  Imagine how many more people could have jobs if, like Brazil, we had street sweepers! 

I suppose it wouldn't work too well in the winter, but isn't that what the snow removal department is for?