I was originally planning on going out alone tonight. My dumpstering partner was going to stay in because he’s going out of town next week and subletting his place while here’s gone. I’m staying here, and there’s no trash on Christmas. I would have had plenty of food for the next two weeks, but almost entirely meat, cheese, grain, nuts, and dried fruit. Fresh fruits and vegetables are always what I’m really looking for. And plain yogurt, and anything festive.

So I was glad he changed his mind. This meant he’d forgotten to buy more gloves, but nothing was terribly messy. I wound up taking most of what we found, because he’s trying to clean out his fridge for the guests.

It was a big night for cheese. Excessive. We split the cheese about evenly between us and each went home with over a dozen pieces. Here’s what I got tonight:

• 2 wedges of brie
• 2 kinds of cheddar
• Swiss
• Milton, also a kind of cheddar
• Pepper jack
• 2 soft garlic and herb cheeses
• Some Parmesan-style cheese
• Some Parmesan-style cheese with Merlot
• Muenster
• Rembrandt Gouda
• A big box of iced gingerbread men, which are pleasantly unlike pfeffernusse
• 3 (of 6 total found) chocolate protein drinks
• Almond butter
• Vegan mayonnaise
• Anadouille chicken sausage
• Grilled rosemary chicken breast
• 2 whole rotisserie chickens
• Falafel mix
• Vanilla yogurt (32oz)
• Peach yogurt cups (2)
• Blueberry coconut yogurt cup
• Toasted pine nuts
• Roasted peanuts
• A muffin
• Carrot and lemon poppyseed mini loaf cakes
• Part of a chicken truffle pâté
• Paneer tikka masala
• Boxed white cheddar mac and cheese
• 2 boxes of taco shells
• Unsweetened flaked coconut
• Seaweed snack (opened)
• Frozen quesadillas
• Frozen lasagna
• Frozen spinach quiche
• Frozen crab meat
• A bag of small potatoes
• 3 large tomatoes
• Sugar snap peas
• Bagged spinach salad
• 2 bags of Brussels sprouts
• Carrots
• A pomegranate
• Pumpkin butter
• Decorative evergreen branches

We also found some frozen cannolis, and I ate one and let him have the rest. He got a pork loin, chocolate croissants, some almond cookies, a raspberry dessert, and ten eggs, as well as a number of the same things I got.

Ms. Rubin’s vase was still there, turned on its side so the name was more prominently displayed. There was nothing inside.