Frank and Daragh were renting a house in 10th St SE DC. This was an interesting part of Washington, that mainly consisted of boarded up houses, and zero tourists. Its only a mile from the Capital Building but in a rundown part of town. Frank and I had lived in several  in a Squats in London, so it only seemed natural with all these empty buildings to move into one. The only problem is the laws are totally different in the U.S. If a building is abandoned, it's owned by the government, and bricked up. What you have to do is find a privately owned building, and move in. Which is trespassing.  Fortunately there happens to be two just across the road. So we moved in. Amenities included free electricity, blocked sewer, no water, free trash, and a few broken windows. Rodrigo provides some kittens, Duncan some spray cans, the local building site donated some lumber. What more could you need.

          Water. You need water, in DC when you don't pay your bill, they pinch you meter from a hole out in the street. We made a call, unless you could prove you owned the place, no meter. Mmmmmm. Water meters are like potatoes, the ground is full of them. After a bit of late night plumbing we have water, to much water. The pipes in the house have frozen over the winter, so their is a big split right by the front door. Off to the hard ware, for a couple of hose clamps and a foot of plastic pipe. Seven trips later, we finally have sealed all the leaks, and its stopped raining inside. In hindsight it would of been easier to buy 20 ft of pipe. I get to work on the loo, its full, and all the drains are totally blocked. After its cleaned out it's still blocked. I fill it with water, I fill the bath with water, I fill the sink with water, for good measure I fill everything else I can find with water. It's no good. After an hour I'm contemplating what to do next, when there is this sound like a freight train. Unlike corona, the problem has disappeared down the pipe. We sit in the back yard where the guys are building a veggie patch, and celebrate with a couple of Micky's Wide Mouths. A couple of days later the cops turn up. They ask us do we own the place. Umm No. Are we renting it. Umm No. They look around, the place is neat, were not junkies. They smile, they leave. I think we passed.  

      It's summer in DC, the best time. The guys are all on break from collage, and picking up summer jobs. Need a driver, laborer, apartment cleaned, painting, Bike couriering, Pizza delivery we do it all. At night we go swimming in the local DC water supply, Daragh driving through red lights, and hiding out when the cops drive past. On off days I grab a bike, go check out the museums, or the cheap IMAX  at the Air and Space. Frank coaches soccer and there seems to be an impromptu match on every arvo. D.C. Rap blares out from every corner. Beers on the roof at night to beat the heat.  Cool Disco Dan is everywhere. Then it's time to go, I have to meet my friend in Europe. They try to convince me to stay, hell they even offer to pay me more. Its been fun. I've even made more here in six weeks than I made in six months in London. I haven't chucked in to many crap jobs, to go on holidays and done that before.

          They stayed there all summer, after they left the junkies moved in. Inevitably, the council kicked them out bricked up the place. There was one final act. One day a couple of years later the whole place just fell in to the street, It might of had something to do with that supporting wall someone removed to enlarge their bedroom. Then again maybe the old building decided it was never going to see as much fun again.  Tenth Street S.E. you "SICE".

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