Thankfully, you can no longer see poo.

Thankfully, you can no longer see poo. KR

A week (or two?) ago, this toilet appeared on 14th Avenue, outside Chop Suey. First, it was just an old toilet with actual poo in it. Then someone (mercifully) put a garbage bag over it. Recently, it’s been painted gold, turned into an ashtray, and is being monitored by a camera. I’m sure there’s some metaphor here about gentrification on Capitol Hill.

Kathleen Richards is the former managing editor of The Stranger. Prior to joining The Stranger, she was the co-editor of the East Bay Express in Oakland, Calif., where she also wrote award-winning stories...