The grade schooler is passionately interested in garbage trucks, compost and recycling -- and dreams of being a trash hauler when he grows up. So he convinced his parents to bypass the usual kiddie venues and toss him a party on Saturday at a real dump.
Landfill operator Browning-Ferris Industries agreed to the unusual plan, and set about preparing an odor- and trash-free spot on the edge of the Sunshine Canyon Landfill in suburban Los Angeles, wheeling in piles of fresh dirt to accommodate 82 little feet.
Michael and 40 of his friends were in hog heaven as they scampered over mounds of dirt, pushing a variety of toy back hoes, bulldozers and dump trucks, according to his parents, Sophia Wong and Vito Sasso, who said the company provided the venue at no fee.
The kids also made animals from home-made clay and recycled materials, and got an up-close tour of the landfill, she said.
"In addition to that we had a ranger bring live animals native to the landfill. He brought ... a black widow spider, a python, a stuffed rattler, a falcon, a dwarf rabbit. He brought pine cones and showed where some had been eaten. He pointed out raccoon, coyote and rat tracks. Oh, and he showed them coyote scat!"
Wong and Sasso are restaurant owners and never had a special interest in trash until Michael, at age two, began showing an unusual interest in trailing garbage trucks through the neighborhood, his mother said, noting that "trash" and "truck" were among his first words.
"As a 4-year-old he wrote a book about our local trash collector, Gilbert Gregory, and what he does during his daily route," she said.
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