Katrina Katrinka was an ordinary mother with two kids, a station wagon, and an unexpected 60-foot-tall crane in her backyard. It was left there by a bankrupt construction company.
Unsure what to do, she first called the sanitation department, but they refused to collect such a large item. Determined not to let the crane sit idle, Mrs. Katrinka bought a large wrench and a powerful saw.
Day after day, she carefully dismantled the crane, section by section, carrying each piece to her basement. At night, she cut the steel into small bits, hiding them in her regular trash—inside empty tuna cans, overripe watermelons, and old socks.
Realizing she couldn't hide the entire crane this way, she began painting the sections and welding them into sculptures. She placed these artworks in her yard, where they soon attracted the attention of the entire neighborhood. One neighbor even offered to buy one.
On the day she removed the final section, the former construction company owner returned for his crane. Mrs. Katrinka informed him it was gone, transformed into sculptures. The man apologized sincerely for leaving the crane.
Mrs. Katrinka showed him the six remaining sculptures and mentioned she had already sold a seventh. The man offered to buy all six at the same price, but she refused to part with them all. They agreed he would buy five, allowing her to keep one as proof of this incredible story for her grandchildren.