You Know You’ve Roughed it When…
An essential part of growing up is living in a variety of “character building” houses and flats. You know, the ones you think back on and wonder how you actually survived it.
If you’re basking in the glow coming through the clean, unbroken bay windows of your first real home, you might find it hard to believe that you once lived through things like…
Risking life and limb to cook a meal
Ok, we don’t all start independent life with the greatest food hygiene and often learn the hard way not to reheat rice twice. There’s also the fact that your kitchen might actually have it in for you – flame-thrower grills, collapsible shelves and electric rings that give you shocks when you stir your soup.
Not bothering to lock the front door
No-one bothers locking up when they come in, or even when they go out, because there’s nothing worth stealing, the hallway is an almost-lethal obstacle course and you have a 24/7 security guard…
Acquiring an unofficial, non-paying lodger
He turns up one day, fresh off the plane from Peru, to stay with his mate in the basement room. Several months later he’s still there, always. He never seems to leave the building, but no-one complains because every so often he scrapes together the ingredients (and the bravery) for an amazing, authentic, Andean stew.
Drawing on a wall to improve the décor
That old woodchip has seen better days, as well as quite a few bad ones. It just hangs there, like a gently yellowing, knobbly canvas, just begging for some original artwork. Before you know it, everyone’s piled in with a mixture of media and the place finally looks…well, better? It’s all subjective, really.
Going to the pool for a shower
It’s the only option because the gas has run out, the bathroom floor is a skidpan and you’re still waiting for the unidentifiable pile of mouldy clothes to develop consciousness and get out of the bath by itself.
