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I’ve never seen an Old West movie with this scene. The good-guy cowpoke rides into town, his steely eyes laser-beamed on the bad hombre. Bad hombre sneers and spits tobacco juice from his cigar stub. Good guy says, “Next time, use a spittoon. And when you finish your see-gar, put it in the trash.”

If this scene was ever in a movie with say, Johnny Depp, America would be clean as a newly washed baby. Why? Because we worship the movies. Because movies show us what’s “cool.” Indiana Jones wears a hat, and the sale of fedoras flies through the treasure chamber’s roof. Superman wears blue tights with a giant S on his shirt, and so does every kid in America. What if we could make being clean the same sort of “cool?”

Everyone is born knowing what clean is. If not, your mom or dad loudly reminds you every time you leave your room a mess, the yard grass too high or your toys all over the floor. My own little owlets used to leave Legos at strategic places, the better to ambush an unsuspecting parent whose foot needed a mighty zap! Ah the memories of youth.

But, we’re grown-ups now. We badger our own kids, right? But, shouldn’t we take a look at ourselves?

The Tennessee River doesn’t stay clean on its own. It starts with the government’s wise Clean Water Act but counts on us to watch and report violations of people or corporations that like to toss untreated bilge and chemicals in. That’s what those government oversight officers are for, but oversight is also what volunteer groups like Tennessee Riverkeepers do too.

Or, how about that trash can on wheels? It doesn’t fill itself. Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful gave out “waste paper grabbers” for free recently, the better to encourage people to pick up what some careless goof pitched out his car window on to your lawn or street. Don’t you love those guys who just dump stuff on the side of the road?

“I’m finished, so out my truck window goes my easy-chew belly-bomb burger leftovers,” our road slob “thinks.” This is then followed by his splattered ketchup, unused napkin, and leftover fries in their bag.

But we’re a community, not a random collection of selfish oafs. We should put whatever we finish in the trash and join others to make the community nicer, cleaner and healthier. Join groups like KALB, or mobilize your kids’ scout group or church youth group to spruce up somewhere in the neighborhood.

I recently saw a truly spectacular photographic grouping of stately birds and bucolic scenes around Athens, as seen by 8- to 10-year-old photographers! Join them! If they see such beauty, why can’t we all?

And to keep things pleasant and worth living in isn’t just for kids. Adults are needed to be sure weeds are pulled from flowers and plants, that bushes are trimmed and that if you see someone who makes our town and county ugly, you do something about it. We have laws all over the place against being a town slob, so call your councilman or commissioner, and tell them about violations you see. Then pester them to make sure the report is followed up on. Know how to get rid of hazardous waste.

Did you know there’s a special hazardous waste collection day coming up Aug. 29 for Limestone County residents?

The Limestone Solid Waste Commission is sponsoring this. Bet you didn’t know we had one of those, did you? As my imaginary Johnny Depp Western movie would say, “Throw all your waste in the right place, pilgrim.”

— John William Davis is a retired U.S. Army counterintelligence officer, civil servant and linguist. He was commissioned from Washington University in St. Louis in 1975. He entered counterintelligence and served some 37 years. A linguist, Davis learned foreign languages in each country in which he served. His published works include “Rainy Street Stories: Reflections on Secret Wars, Terrorism and Espionage” and “Around the Corner: Reflections on American Wars, Violence, Terrorism and Hope.”