Where coffins go to die

There is metal collector down the block from us. His loaded trailer is often parked a few doors away. Twice this summer, he has had a metal coffin in with the old propane tanks, radiators, bike frames, old stoves, etc that make up a regular load. The first time, Steve asked him where he had gotten the coffin. He replied: "I can't tell you." Steve and I both smiled thinking that he was kidding. He wasn't. We can't figure out if he doesn't want to reveal his source because he thinks we might beat him to the punch and go salvage coffins ourselves, or because his possession of the coffins is the result of some unsavoury practice!