Incident in the gutter

I work across from Commodore Sloat Elementary School in the Balboa Terrace district, just off Junipero Serra and Ocean Ave. This morning was street cleaning day, so I carefully parked my car on the safe side. When I heard the street sweeper approaching, I went outside to move my car to the shady side.

Outside, along the fenced school playground, I saw six or seven children with their faces pressed up against the fence, watching the street sweeper approach. At first I thought they were simply enjoying the approach of the giant, whirring machine, but then I noticed the expression of horror on their faces.

Just before it reached them, the street sweeper pulled up short. The driver got out, walked about three feet in front of the machine, and picked up a toy that had been thrown over the fence into the gutter. The expressions on the kids' faces turned to delight as he tossed the toy back to them, then climbed back into the street sweeper and continued on his way.