"Alrighty then!" I said, in the most optimistic voice I could manage as we went through the door of our prospective new rental property. I looked about myself and struggled for something positive to say. "It's blue!"

Okay. That was factual. But at least it wasn't anywhere near what I was thinking, which was Oh Lord, what have we gotten ourselves into?

Actually, the house itself, a townhouse built in the 1980's is not that bad....

it was more the drive up to the place that let us know we are truly living the DUMPPy (Downwardly-mobile, Underemployed, Middle-Aged, Poor People) lifestyle. This cluster of townhouses sits at the heart of a once middle class community that later fell, like us, on hard times. Rickety fencing, sagging roofs, and too many cars in various states of disrepair for the amount of street space there is came upon us all at once.

I'm not a snob, people. I live on Main St., my current neighborhood is about 50% minority and we all go out side and look around when our lights go out to make sure it really is a power outage and we didn't just forget to pay the bill. I don't think I'm better than anybody. But the fact of the matter is this - that place is not experiencing an economic upswing.

There is a parking "pad" in front of the house with space for two cars, but the rest of the vehicles on the street made it hard for us to turn into the place since we didn't know, right away, where we were going. My guess is that there are more adults with cars per household on this street then there is parking for everyone. So, in order to not block anyone in, we parked up the street.

As we did, a young lady washing her car with her do-rag and sunglasses husband or boyfriend looked up, looked at me, smiled and gave me a friendly wave. Her yard was one of many with a flower garden in the front - annuals of course. Almost every family here rents. Still, I was encouraged enough pass the overgrown lawn and spider webbed garden space of the house we were there to see .Jeff motioned us through the door. Susan was showing the property to another family.

"Haven't had time to get out here with the mower" Jeff muttered, and I don't doubt it. After all, they only bought the place last week. "The guy who had this place before was a fireman. Single guy."

"Yeah, no kidding." I said gently, taking in the light blue paint in the kitchen clashing frighteningly with the sage green in the vinyl floor. Still, the kitchen was well laid out, with more storage space than this one. Somebody had, it looked like quickly, painted the kitchen cabinets white, but there was a dishwasher and an almost new stove. The fridge was quite functional.

"It hasn't got an ice maker." Jeff said, apologetically.

"That's okay. We're qualified to make ice." I said.

He and The Hub went into the basement to explore the option of taking the carpet up to create work room space for him. It does have a walk out, and the steps to the basement and the upper floor are carpeted and easy for me to manuever. The railings are sturdy and there are not steps up to the front door of the house.

There are three bedrooms - small ones, but plenty of closet space. The yard is fenced in - good news for The Goober, whom we'd be allowed to bring into the house with no problem. The place is shockingly devoid of charecter, especially compared my current place, which is so full of charm. The rooms are painted depressing colors, but paint is cheap, and Susan went to great leangths to assure us, "Anything you do in here you do as you see fit and we'll give you a rental credit. Don't even ask. The Hub does every project beautifully, and Tea, you've got great taste. I'd like anything you'd do better than anything I'd ever think of. And I'm going to clean that carpet ( in the living room) I didn't realize it was in that bad of shape."

"It's not that bad. I could bring my steamer over and we could work on it." I said. There are a few stains that look like they'd come right up.

"Oh, I got one of those steamers, too. They work great. I'd do it for anyone. But, really, Tea, we hope you guys will take it. We know you'd improve it for us, and I honestly feel like this neighborhood is getting better. I wouldn't say that if I didn't think it were true." She's probably right. And she certainly is a direct and honest person. "Come back tonight, after dark, and see how you feel about the neighborhood."

"That's a smart idea." I said. So, that's what we'll do.

The house does meet all of our needs - every one, and we can afford the rent. It's worthwhile to keep in mind that DUMPPy's can't be chosey.