Looking for gold in the garbage

Press, 12 May 1981, Page 14

Looking for gold in the garbage

Once there was a street cleaner who earned a living by sweeping the roadsides in a' bus.v part of London. It was dull work but the

sweeper was a cheerful fellow. He whistled as he pushed the broom and dreamed of finding gold among the litter. Often he would pick up small coins and soon he began to believe his fantasy.

He wondered how much a gold nugget would be worth, so he called at a dealer's shop to ask the value of a lump, of gold the size of his fist.-

A pleasant surprise awaited the hopeful dreamer. He was warmly welcomed

and 'treated to a delicious lunch. Not until the meal was finished did the dealer ask to see the gold. More surprises were in store, but they were not pleasant. The dealer’s goodwill vanished when he realised that he had been tricked by his own hastiness. Shouting "angrily he chased the sweeper down the street.

The poor man’s dream shattered as he sped from the painful scene, but he took it in good part. When the angry voice had died away in the distance he slowed down and thoughtfully walked back to work. As he picked up his broom he said to himself, "Dreams may not always come true, but I'have had a very good meal out pf mine.”