After a quick run-through of the Apartments for Rent listings in the local paper, I decided to look for something in the "U District," near the University of Washington, expecting it might be like LA’s attractive, lively Westwood area, adjacent to UCLA. I settled on a basement apartment, telling myself that even though it was dumpier than the motel I was in, it made sense for the time being because it was cheap. The building was owned by a single proprietor named Egon Drews and managed by his son David. Happily, Egon was a trusting soul who wasn’t going to bother with a credit or background check that a management company would have required.