In all honesty, I was somewhat at a loss for this, my latest installment of Punching the Clock, despite several ideas that have been bouncing around my head since my last foray into the unknown. All it took, however, was a trip to the Route 12 Redemption Center on Saturday, exchanging a ridiculous number of redeemable bottles and cans for some much-needed cash. Which, as it turns out, was a good thing in more than one way. Not only did I finish cleaning out a friend’s garage (as well as my landlord’s), I managed to collect enough returnables to purchase some Super Bowl munchies for Sunday’s game and ... lo and behold ... find myself a local business willing to take me on for the day, or in this case the afternoon.

Located on State Highway 12 just south of Wal-Mart and next door to Music Square, the Route 12 Redemption Center opened in November, according to co-owner Rob Spratley, who works the center with father Mark, mother Denise and brother James, not to mention the center’s unofficial mascot, “Diesel,” the family dog who’s on hand to greet customers with a friendly canine smile and tail a-wagging. It’s a family affair, really, and while it may be a dirty job (hey, someone’s got to do it), it doesn’t have to be a depressing or unenjoyable one. Said an upbeat Rob Spratley, “We’re all about family, we’re family oriented and that makes for a friendly atmosphere for customers.”