New Occupants
Picture taken on December 11, 2008
(click to enlarge)

 

There are new occupants in the space made almost-famous by Blue Straw (and, later, Red Straw).

Some of you read the saga — including photos, video clips, and a letter to local government — culminating in a rescue mission that I’m still not sure was the right thing to do. Perhaps the letter was the real mistake, because it was what left me no choice.

The new residents have been there at least six months, through several downpours, and recently I noticed a visitor.

I don’t know what the vessel on the left was, and while I can discern the purpose of the one on the right, the photos don’t provide conclusive proof whether it’s glass or plastic.

What does this new, and long-lasting occupancy tell me? First, that this storm drain has a penchant for grabbing objects. I have been checking drains ever since Blue Straw started, and have noticed only one with anything lodged in it. That was a construction site hard hat, but it was gone within a day or two, so you were spared its chronicle.

A few other items have come and gone since December, but unless they last a week or more, they don’t make it in the permanent record.

Just this month, a visitor has come along that meets that requirement. Because it better fits the profile of the original occupants, I’m pulling for it. We’ll see.

With a Visitor
Picture taken on June 16, 2009

 

Note the bite marks on the straw. Part of me wants to pull the straw out of that cup and have dental forensics experts identify the chewer. I could do an exclusive interview with the person who discarded the cup — backlighting and digitally disguised voice for anonymity, of course.

Or I could just pretend like I never saw any of this (like most readers probably will).

Yeah, sure.