I am fairly certain that it is in the contract of the trash men (I'm not being politically incorrect. Our trash people happen to be men. I'm not saying they couldn't be women. In our house, for instance, the trash person is female 50 percent of the time.) to leave the lid open if it's a rainy day. "It's raining, Hugh! Don't forget to keep that lid up or else that trash can will not fill with water and keep us chuckling the rest of the day!" 

I don't know how closely you follow celebrity news, but I heard perhaps the single greatest thing ever on the radio the other day. I believe I was driving home from the eye doctor. Anyway, Woody Harrelson (He was on Cheers. I'm pretty sure he played someone named Woody.) attacked someone who took his picture. And his rationale for attacking the person was that he thought the photographer was a zombie. I mean, seriously, you would have to forgive someone if that was their excuse. And think of all the occasions on which you could use it! All of the following problems could be solved by replying, "I'm sorry, I thought you were a zombie." Excuse me, I was next in line! Our newspaper wasn't delivered this morning. You left the lid open on the trash can in the pouring rain!