What a rusty trolley can teach us about embracing unexpected adventures

It’s a peculiar sight, isn’t it? You’re strolling through the bush, minding your own business, when suddenly, out of the corner of your eye, you spot a shopping trolley, rusty and forlorn, missing a wheel, abandoned near a stormwater drain. It’s like finding a relic of modern civilisation in the wild—out of place and slightly tragic, yet oddly compelling.

This rusty old trolley triggered a memory from the early 90s in my HSC exam days, where one of the creative writing topics was “A Day in the Life of a Shopping Trolley.” I didn’t choose to write on this topic, but as I stood there today, looking at this weathered old trolley, I couldn’t help but think that if I could go back in time, I’d definitely choose to write about a rusty old shopping trolley and base my story on what I saw today. Here’s how it would have read:

Meet Rusty: The Brave, Tireless Trolley

Let’s call him Rusty. It suits him—he’s seen better days, but there’s a story in every scratch and every flake of oxidised metal. Rusty wasn’t always the abandoned, wheel-less wreck we see now. Once upon a time, he was a proud, shiny shopping trolley, eager to serve, rolling smoothly through the aisles of a bustling Harris Farm supermarket.

But Rusty wasn’t content with the mundane life of carrying groceries. Oh no, he had bigger dreams. The parking lot, with its rows of neatly lined cars, was just too small for his adventurous spirit. One fateful evening, as the store was closing, a group of bored teenagers spotted Rusty and decided to give him the adventure he craved.

The Great Escape

With a mischievous grin and a nudge, Rusty was set free from his usual parking lot prison. The teenagers, with nothing better to do, took Rusty on the ride of his life. They sprinted down the street, the trolley’s wheels rattling in protest at the sudden burst of speed. Rusty had never felt so alive!

They raced through the neighbourhood, zooming down sidewalks and veering around corners, narrowly avoiding oncoming traffic. Rusty, of course, loved every second of it. He had never felt such wind in his metaphorical hair—finally, he was a free spirit, not bound by the limits of supermarket aisles!

Into the Wild

As the night wore on, the teenagers grew tired, but Rusty wasn’t ready to end his adventure just yet. With a final burst of energy, they pushed him towards the edge of a nearby park—a shortcut home, they figured. But what they didn’t realise was that the path sloped downward... sharply.

Rusty, with gravity now on his side, picked up speed. The teenagers couldn’t keep up and let go, watching in awe as the trolley sped down the hill, careening towards the unknown. Rusty was unstoppable! He rolled past startled joggers, bounced over rocks, and even caught some air as he flew off a small embankment.

But every adventure has its end. Rusty’s wild ride finally came to a halt when he hit a patch of thick, overgrown grass. He flipped over a few times, one wheel breaking off in the process and somehow he landed upright. The teenagers, realising they’d lost their prize, shrugged and continued on their way, leaving Rusty behind.

A Hero’s Rest

And that’s how Rusty ended up here, near the stormwater drain, exposed near the bush of a national park. His wheel lies half a metre away, a silent testament to the wild ride that led him to this peaceful, if somewhat ignominious, retirement. He may not be rolling down supermarket aisles anymore, but Rusty’s spirit of adventure lives on in the stories we imagine and the memories of a night he’ll never forget.

Next time you see an abandoned shopping trolley, take a moment to imagine the wild adventures it might have had—much like the ones we humans can experience when we step off the beaten path. Just as Rusty found himself in the thick of the wilderness, we too can find excitement and unexpected journeys when we venture into the great outdoors. So, whether you're exploring a new trail or discovering hidden corners of your local park, remember that adventure is out there for all of us—sometimes in the most unexpected places.