The Legend of Trash Can Annie.

Once upon a time if you were a regular to Downtown Rochester NY be it transfering the bus, catching an Amerks game, visiting the library, or Midtown mall it was inevitable youd see the frumpiest woman you have ever seen digging in trashcans. She would rarely make eye contact with anyone. Rarer still she talk to you. If you were lucky she would on occasion have a concersation with you but it was rare. It would however be a long talk about various books, artist and thwre works, and the pidgeons and crow downtown. Be it dead of winter or the heat of summer she woild always be in a heavy outdated tweed dress, rain boots, stretched out woll leggings, and several sweaters under a pea coat with her tote bag and umbrella. She was a rochester icon digging through trash for food, cans, and random objects she felt were worth saving. Many people would offee her money, she never accepted just kept walking. Many people made fun of her, she didnt seem to pay attention. Many were very protective of the eccentric old frumpy homeless girl. That's how most saw Trash Can Annie. As a desperate homeless woman with some odd traits. Likely mentally ill. She'd often be seen around the local flop house. The Cadillac Hotel. Most probably assumed she stayed there when she could afford it. What few actually knew about her though was she was a local heiress to a very prominate and wealthy family and had a large and extravegant home. She was in fact extremely well off and had no reason to be living like this. She was most certainly affected by some sort of mental illness. Very eccentic and odd. Yet she never seemed unhappy and in a way she seemed to be one of the freest people around. Though I'm sure she had to suffer at some level internally.

Trash can Annie was kind of at the end of her time as I grew up. A frequent sight qhen I was little going downtown with my Mom or Grandma. By time I was in junior high she become less and leas a fixture until she finally just wasnt seen anymore. Her going away kinda marked the final decay of downtown rochester. Midtown mall was now a shell of its former self. It was becoming derelict in sections and had only a few random stores. Sibly's gone. The liberty pole bus stop no longer a bustling meating place, just a place to catch the next bus before a bum or drug dealer bothered you. Its like downtown and Trash Can Annie died together.



Anywho I'm not going to tell her real name but felt on giving her little notice. And thats the story of Trash Can Annie of Rochester NY.