INDIANAPOLIS — It's been a really rough year and most of us are "done" with 2020, no doubt.
That sentiment is reflected pretty perfectly in Irvington right now, where neighbors gave a popular meme some extra meaning with an interactive dumpster display.
If an image could best sum up 2020, the handcrafted "dumpster fire" in Craig Rutherford's front yard just might be it.
After all, it has been a dumpster fire of a year for so many people.
"We're trying to bring some levity to the situation in the neighborhood," Rutherford explained. "It's basically a place to write down your frustration, your pains, and we set it on fire every night and let 'em fly to the heavens."
Rutherford and a few of his neighbors are known in Irvington for Halloween and holiday decor, including the annual Masquerade, but he decided the year-ender deserved some extra expression.
2020 is spray-painted on the side of the homemade trash bin and now, the dumpster also has tags from people who stop by to air their grievances.
"This one says, 'COVID sucks, not recommended,'" Rutherford read off one panel. "'2020 you will not be missed.' '2021, please be good to us.' 'It's been a rough one.'"
"It's been a tough year and you can see from a lot of things people have written on the dumpster. It's been tough for a lot of people," he said.
Granted, many of the messages have colorful language we can all relate to but can't show on TV. Yet Rutherford found some heartfelt surprises, too: comments and subsequent conversations about a year in crisis.
"'Don't be afraid,' 'Goodbye fear and hate. Welcome peace in our hearts,' 'I wanna go back to school.' Yep, that's from a child. 'To all those lost in 2020, prayers to those that remain.' There's a lot of those types of sentiments, too," Rutherford said. "Time that they've lost with the people they love, friendships broken and that type of thing. Pretty deep conversations over the past couple of days."
People are finding humor, hope and healing from a creation that perfectly captures the year that was.
"Then we say 'let's release it all and let it float away or send your prayers to heaven, however you see it,'" Rutherford said. "That's the idea behind it."
Good riddance 2020...
"This one says 'Thankful for my family. Here's to 2021'," Rutherford said.
And Happy New Year.
The dumpster fire will be "lit" Monday night around 6:00 in downtown Irvington, along Washington Street, for holiday shoppers.
You can check it out and write a message of your own about 2020.