Ah, there’s nothing quite like being awakened by the vibrant sound of firetruck sirens at six in the morning, to wake up and stretch your arms and look out the window at your grand view of the alleyway, and to see acrid white smoke billowing out of a door of the neighboring building (which just happens to be a massive power station) while a cadre of fire fighters march towards imminent disaster. Isn’t downtown city life awesome?

(The smoke eventually stopped, and the fire trucks left with nary an axe swung or a gas mask donned, so I guess PEPCO had everything well in hand.)

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Paulo Ordoveza

Roving Asian mendicant, can occasionally be seen wandering the streets of downtown Washington, muttering unintelligible gibberish to passers-by while pushing a “bag lady” shopping cart full of old blankets, American flags, soda cans, and healthy secondhand snacks from organic food shop dumpsters. Used to live in a cardboard box at 16th and K but the rent was too expensive.