A doss around and a good laugh

Alex spent the night last night, and at eleven o’clock this morning he and I walked down to 38 Gaunt’s Hill View and the offices of Watermouth Housing Association. We’d been given the address by Gav Heppell so we could find out about squatting, an idea that’s taken shape out of softly focused dream/fantasy and now stands hard and solid at the brink of realisation. The vicarage of Sacred Heart near the Art College seems our best bet, as the wiring appears to be in good order and the building sound. Gav owes rent on his current place and is due to be thrown out any time and Alex is sick of sleeping on peoples’ floors, so they’re motivated by necessity and have given the scheme added impetus.

We met Keith, a bloke in his thirties, a ‘60s survivor, who told us quietly but forcefully—interested—that if we were serious about wanting to squat and finding somewhere to live for a reasonable length of time we should prepare the ground thoroughly. He gave us a list of empty properties to use as a back-up in case the Vicarage didn’t work out and seemed impressed when we told him we’d been inside and sussed it out already.

It’s owned by Oculus Bancorp and the Housing Association tried to get a license from them a while ago to occupy it but were told it was “structurally unsound,” a lie if ever there was one, for if it was there’d surely be more evidence of cracks, broken ceilings, etc. He again impressed upon us the seriousness of our venture: “I don’t want to know if all you’re interested in is a doss around and a good laugh.” I felt a little guilty at our lie about having nowhere to live; there are surely more desperate cases than us on the WHA’s books . . .

Alex and I left to hang uselessly about at the Art College. We’d arranged a five thirty meeting at the Pembroke pub, near Maynard Gardens, and Ian, Lee, Alex and I turned up. Keith showed up with his ‘assistant’ from the Housing Association, an overweight, long-haired hippy by the name of Morris Knott, who’s well known in Watermouth as a champion of squatters’ rights and associated causes. We said we wanted to move in to the Vicarage and Keith agreed to check it out over the weekend. He once more emphasised the seriousness of what we’re about to attempt. We left in high spirits knowing that at last we’ve done something to get the ball rolling.