I saw this sign taped to the sidewalk to the other day and had to stop and take a photo. I’m sure the owner had put out something free to give away, and the person who took it had removed the sign before removing the item… but it still struck me as funny.

Free sidewalk. Up for grabs. After all, I hadn’t paid anyone to walk down that sidewalk so I was taking advantage of the owner’s generosity as well. But then, they were giving it freely–not asking for compensation.

I can’t help noticing the absurd and out of place. I think it’s an affliction suffered by most writers. We hear funny lines and strange conversations and don’t forget them. I see something out of place or odd and it sticks with me for days and weeks afterwards. And sometimes I even get a blog post, a short story or a scene out of them. But I almost always get a funny anecdote to tell.