Quite a response to last week’s scrap iron post

by Pat Laster

Chrysanthemums are blooming everywhere. In my yard are various sizes and colors: maroon, bronze and pink. By now, all your houseplants should be inside.I have hauled a money tree, corn plant, schefflera, mother-in-law’s tongue, split-leafed philodendron, Chinese lily and a 6-foot Norfolk pine into the computer/sunroom.
Last week’s column on scrap metal mongering brought several responses about others’ experiences.
One Little Rock friend told that he and his wife decided to clear the clutter under their house and deck––‘a life time collection of car parts, bicycles, water tanks, etc.’
“We too, found the ABC Salvage on Stagecoach Road and hauled the scrap there. My intention was to just get rid of it in an environmentally friendly way. When I got there I found that they actually pay you for the scrap. You segregate it into ferrous and non-ferrous metals, they scan your driver's license, weigh the non-ferrous metals, have you drive over a truck-like scale and drive down into the collection ‘yard’.
“You dump the load and drive back over the scale. All this data is apparently electronically sent to the office where you go to collect your cash. As a result of two trips with my Saturn-loads of scrap, we collected about $300 for our troubles. I thought this was quite good since we were primarily interested in ‘just getting rid of the scrap’."
A Mountain Home reader emailed this reply: “Really enjoyed this column - it covers recycling, getting rid (in a good and useful way and helpful too) of stuff you've had around for ages and would never ever use or need again, and you told it in a most poetic way - I see bits and pieces of poetry and/or poems in this column.” (Blush.)
A reader in Clinton says of her son, “S. has sold scrap copper and brass to ABC salvage, among others in Harrison. He gives away old water heaters to a local man who then carts them to salvage.”
She also asked if the water heater was ever picked up. My answer: “Yes, he brought a helper a day or two later and got it. The copper on top he said would be worth $3.”
Then she replied, “Copper is high. G. [husband] wants S. to take the scrap copper off the heaters he gives away, but do you think that happens? No. And his workers could do that.
“Young folks, who did not live in the Depression Years!!! Nor did I, but I was born then and have heard the stories . . . sometimes, it seems those times may be coming back.”
A Beebe friend and reader responded: “I remember Mother giving out food, with drinks in a fruit jar she let them [the scrap-iron folks] keep. She always found some leftovers or scrambled up some eggs or something.”
Do you also think we might be headed back [oxymoron?] to life and times of the 1930s?