sharks circling

There is a funny ad on the telly over here about some bank. I think it is referring to an account you can get where it doesn't cost you to withdraw money and no account keeping fees either - something like that anyway, didn't take too much notice - you know banks....
Anyway, in the ad the customer exclaims to the teller "it is all free?". Then he turns to the other customers and tells them "It is ALL free!" to which the all completely strip and ransack the bank including ripping, rolling and taking off with the carpet. I like it.
Anyway.... this week was spring cleaning here. I had never really caught on what spring cleaning meant until now. All the American shows would go on about "spring cleaning" suggesting there was a mass movement of activity to clean the house once a year. And I always thought to myself.... why is it such a big deal? Why call it "spring cleaning?" And why spring? Surely they clean at other times of the year. As it turns out spring cleaning IS a once a year thing. But it is actually a service put on by the council. You can throw a seemingly unlimited array of rubbish, the kind you've had laying around the house all year, and on the scheduled rubbish day the council will take it all away for free. People had couches, lounge chairs, old TVs, bicycles, mattresses, ovens and toilets. The funny thing is, that we are able to put out the stuff the weekend of the pick up, which starts a kind of feeding frenzy. Utes galore circling slowly around neighbourhoods - on the prowl - looking for what goodies they might be able to snaffle up for free. No-one is ashamed. I think it is actually a prayer answered for the council, because others are picking up the stuff for them.
Our neighbour put out a mini ride-on lawn mower that was purchased as a "do up", but it never happened; the mower miraculously disappeared within the hour. There is big money in the junk others effortlessly discard. I am sure the second hand stores do well, but I must say, most of the couches that were tossed were exceptionally ugly.