I had a job in Milwaukee loading and carrying off ols appliances and fixtures from commercial buildings from 2012-2018. We typically started very early in the morning, so that later in the day plumbers/whoever could install the new stuff that same day. So there were many days we had to wait in the parking lot of strip malls and whatnot as the sun rose, waiting for the buildings owner to get there and let us in. This was almost always boring and uneventful, and I often struggled to stay awake after sitting in the truck idle for a half an hour at 4 in the morning. Aside from the odd crackhead here and there we didn't see much of anything at all so we we usually played on our phones or rested while waiting.

We had this job at a business just north of Shorewood Drive first thing one say. As I was still half asleep and struggling not to doze off in the truck I happened to look over to see a shiny newer model Mustang pulled right up to some dumpsters that were against a wall in the parking lot. He probably assumed our vehicles were vacant, as I had a pretty clear view of him when he got out. It was a chubby man with dark colored hair, and though I did not recognize him at the time, I now believe that man was Patrick S Tomlinson. When I go over it in my minds eye and visualize the guy, he looked exactly like Patrick. Haircut, build, head shape and size, everything about him I later recognized as Patrick. So when I first learned of Patrick he looked very familiar and it took a long time for me to put my finger on where I'd seen him.

I remember seeing who I believe was Patrick walk up to the dumpster with a pair of bolt cutters. He had pulled right up to the dumpsters and his headlights were still on, I remember his shadow moved across the wall behind the dumpster as he approached it. I watched him bite the bolt cutters down on the dumpster chain, and then twist the bolt cutters until the chain snapped. He turned and scanned the parking lot after the chain popped off, but continued whatever he was doing once he saw nothing had changed.

He lifted the lid to the dumpster and peered down inside for a second before leaning down over it and grabbing something from within. He seemed to comb through the dumpsters contents before pulling something from it. I leaned forward trying to see what it was. Patrick seemed to be observing it closely. He turned around and placed what looked like a white bag on his car hood, continuing to observe it. I soon realized what he had clutched in his hands was a dirty diaper. He seemed to be deeply inhaling its scent. He then grabbed a tupperware tun from his trunk, and put the diaper inside it. He then turned and started grabbing more diapers from the dumpster and gently setting them in the bin. He grabbed dozens of them, carefully laying them in the box one by one. He leaned over it and took a deep whiff of it, before placing a lid over the box and taking it to his trunk. He then got in his car and sped off. All in all he was there for no more than 5 minutes sniffing and selecting diapers from the dumpster. I wanted to throw up.

That man had to be Patrick. I know in my heart it was. After I learned who he was I felt sick to my stomach. This was the same guy I saw dumpster diving for shit filled diapers.