I especially like the lawn chair frame.

Several years ago while driving down a country road in California I pulled over to take a look at some free stuff on the side of the road.  I knew it was free because there was a spray painted piece of plywood the size of a stop sign that said, “FREE”, on a post about eight feet tall.  Beneath the sign was a small box and in the box was one of those square plastic tables with the four square legs you push into place on the underside of the table.  That was pretty much it for the free stuff that day. It’s possible there had once been more in or by the box and all that was left was the table.  It’s likely no one wanted the table because one of the legs was missing.  A logical conclusion is the absence of the leg is why it was on the side of the road with a free sign above it.  

I pulled out my BlackBerry and snapped a picture and thus was born an obsession with all things free on the side of the road.  

Since then I’ve hardly ever passed up something free on the side of the road.  At first I only stopped if there was actually a sign that said, “Free”.  But over time I started seeing some items left without a sign and wondering if people are thinking that someone might take it but if not they’re saved the embarrassment of no one wanting their stuff, even if it’s free.

That first stop on the side of the road was four or five phones ago and I’ve since discovered I can’t find the picture.  Which is a shame because I think it accurately conveys  my fascination with the Shit On The Curb.

I still wonder what happened to the fourth leg.