Rubbish rooter

>> Social anthropologist and master scavenger gives insight into human trash

by CHRIS BARRY

Name: Germain Levac

Age: 60

Occupation: Salvage engineer/garbage-picker/scavenger

Salary: About $5,000 a year to supplement his pension.

Bio: This eloquent and cultured Plateau resident has been sorting through refuse and reselling it for as long as he can remember. "It's fun and it gives me a little extra money." A recent widower, Germain worked as a plumber until his retirement last year and possesses a master ability to fix things. After getting popped holding 57 pounds of reefer back in '72, he studied social anthropology in prison and is more than happy to wax philosophical about garbage and what it says about our culture. "You sure learn a lot about people by going through their trash."

His scavenging turf: McGill Ghetto.

Some things he regularly picks out and sells: Clothes. "You've got to do volume on them but they're easy to sell." Purses, bags, hats, shoes, furniture, stereo equipment, jewellery, silver spoons, original art. He often finds items that have yet to be opened and are in their original packaging.

His system for determining which garbage bags are filled with the good stuff: Germain claims he has developed an instinct for quality garbage and employs his senses of smell and touch to avoid rooting through the gross stuff like used maxi-pads, rotten food and old diapers.

Has he ever dug deep down into a bag of garbage and found a rat eager to take a bite out of his hand? No. But he regularly squares off against raccoons for first-picking rights on garbage. "The raccoons don't like to share, and they let you know about it in no uncertain terms."

Do people ever give him disparaging looks when they see him rooting through their trash? Definitely. But Germain couldn't care less. "I'm considerate. I never make a mess and always re-tie the garbage bags I've opened. I think people respect that."

Has he ever found something valuable in the garbage that he felt was thrown out by accident and returned it to its rightful owner? Yes. Several times.

What people say when he returns their misplaced valuables: Thanks. "But they look at me oddly. Especially the Americans--they don't seem to understand me."

Where he sells his pickings: Germain holds regular garage sales in the neighbourhood.

Has anybody ever come to one of his garage sales and recognized their old garbage? Yes, many times.

How often he finds homemade pornography in the garbage: Occasionally. Mostly photographs though. No videotapes yet.

His favourite dumpster: The Havana House on Sherbrooke where they sometimes throw away imperfect Cuban cigars.

Something he really likes to find in the trash: Money. On several occasions Germain has found denominations of up to $100 in the garbage.

Musical tastes: A jazz aficionado, two of his favourite artists are Miles Davis and John Coltrane--both of whom he hung out with in the early 1960s.

Last book read: Star Wars: the New Rebellion, by Kristine Kathryn Rusch.

Words of wisdom: "Do something. Don't just sit around waiting for the big payoff." :

Comments? dimwit@openface.ca