Today I was struggling with a piece that just refused to come together. I was about to hit delete on about 1,000 words of interviews and research when I came across this treasure.

The story is about the wastepickers of Delhi (my current obsession), who have such difficult lives, made more difficult by lack of public empathy and preparations for the October 2010 Commonwealth Games. After hours of telling me about her personal, family and monetary struggles, Banav bibi (who I’ve written about extensively and followed around in the summer) had this to say regarding her job, which she starts at 5 a.m. each day:

“At 11 a.m., we bathe, eat lunch and then we’re done. Then we can just watch TV. That’s the advantage. When you do a regular job, you leave at 8 and then work till 6 in the evening. What’s the point? This is of our own timetable. One day in the week I get a holiday. I work when it’s cool and then go home when it gets so hot. Good, no? Do you like this job?”

I sure do like that aspect of it! Freelancers of the world unite! And a reminder to me that there’s always a gem or two in the mess, and you only have to look closer to find it.

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My latest story on Delhi’s wastepickers appears on GlobalPost (but I think you have to be a Premium member to read it): One Man’s Trash