Up til now I had been carting water in 5 gallon buckets from my house on a little cart. I kept thinking about just how well all the weeds had been doing and about how amazing the soil seemed to be, moist light, and with lots of earthworms. I wondered if there was a water leak. But there wasn't supposed to be any water on the site. It was supposed to have been shut off... I eyed the spigot in the yard dubiously, then ran home for a wrench...And we had water! This would make things much easier but much less ethically clear. If I used the water from the house I would be stealing. Hmmmm... I'd be doing the wrong thing for the right reason.
Already news of the foreclosure garden had gotten some heat. I had posted an innocent little blog write-up about the project on my husbands blog The hairy prone companion which I then forwarded to my master gardeners yahoo group. It seemed to really anger some folks (and this was before I was Stealing water!) The fact that I was trespassing seemed to make some believe I would destroy the good name of the group, and of gardening. I had no right. Then came my defenders, equally horrified but at the naysayers. A small battle ensued. I got a lot of mail. All mention of foreclosure gardening was removed from the sight. I had carefully explained about the neighborhood, the gangs, the shootings and the squatters. But to no avail. Now I was about to start stealing to add to my gardening crimes.
I wrenched the spigot open and smiled at all that beautiful water. I'll just keep track of what I use and pay for it if "they" want me to.
Issue resolved. A slippery slope? Maybe. But sometimes its best not to try for saintliness. I am a water thief. Things could be worse.
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