The World in Which we Live Our Lives
I actually had this conversation once:
Me [on the phone]: The trash men didn't come to pick up my garbage today.
Trash person: Did you have it at the curb by 7:00 AM?
Me: They weren't here before 7:00 AM. I had it at the curb before they were here.
Trash person: Did you have your trash at the curb this morning before 7:00 AM?
Me: It doesn't matter whether I had it there before 7:00 AM because the truck wasn't there before 7:00 AM. I had it at the curb before the truck came.
Trash Person: OK. Did you have it at the curb before 7:00 AM, though?
Me: I'm trying to tell you that I can hear the garbage trucks in the morning. I'm in the front of the house, the house is right on the street, the garbage trucks are loud. I always hear the garbage trucks when they come down my street. I would hear the truck if I was home and the truck was on my street. I didn't hear the garbage truck. It wasn't on my street before I put my trash at the curb.
Trash person: All right, then. Let me see if I understand, was the trash at the curb before 7:00 AM?
Me: Yes. It was at the curb by 7:00 AM.
Trash person: We'll send someone to pick it up in the morning.