Everything CANNOT go in the garbage disposal

When I lived in Detroit, I never had a garbage disposal. We just threw away our unused food stuffs and my dad took out the trash. It was a pretty simple process. So you can imagine my suprise and sense of intrigue when I realized that my apartment has a garbage disposal. On my first day, I peeled a grapefrut just so I could dispose of the peels. It was fun.

The fun really hasn't worn off. There is still something very satisfying about the whirrrrr and inevitable crunch that occurs whenever I toss something down the disposal.

Now, I am a reading teacher. The first thing I did was read the book on garbage disposals. I learned that while I could safely dispose of soft foods, fruits, and vegetables, I could not safely dispose of the following: bones, metal bits, hair or rocks. I thought to myself, "hmmm, this should be fairly easy. I left all my bones, metal bits and rocks buried in my yard in Detroit."

So today I cut a cantaloupe. It was really overripe and the rind was soft. I though it was the perfect candidate for the garbage disposal. I was wrong.

About 2/3 of the rind went down the drain. I would hear that satisfying whirrr and the ineveitable crunch would soon follow. Then, something happened. The whirrr was not followed by a crunch. The whirrr was follow by a hiccup then a cough then a choke. After the choke came the slight pause, and then, the garbage disposal belched back everything I had just stuffed down its throat. I jumped back and watched in horror as bits of black, melon and rind spewed forth from what can best be described as the belly of a very sick and incensed beast.

This is easily the most disgusting thing I've seen today. I'll be making a servce request in the morning.