On our way to the car after the event, Jen, Chay and I picked up a tail: two junkie-looking fucks who took an interest in our turn into the dark alley masquerading as the lot where we were parked. With one of the dudes hanging back a bit as lookout, the other guy picked up his pace heading toward us, while at the opposite end of the alley, two other guys started making their way toward our vehicle as well. I’m generally not the paranoid type, but this definitely felt like a turkey shoot. As I hurried the ladies to the car, I pressed the alarm button on my keychain, which starts the repeated honking and flashing lights cycle… and calls a great deal of attention to the vehicle. This startled our predators enough to slow their pace, and we piled into the car, as the dudes at the other end of the alley started yelling “What the fuck?!” – either at us or the two dudes behind us who’d now stopped cold. Doors slammed and locked, I did a General Lee out of that lot, rocketing by a pair of ratty looking fuckers who offered us pretty pissed (and disappointed) expressions.

Y’know how, from time to time, you get that “Something bad’s about to happen here” feeling? Like there’s some kind of buried instinct that starts screaming at you in moments of possible impending peril? This was most definitely one of those times. No weapons were brandished, mind you; but I got the distinct impression that our trio was a cunt-hair away from being introduced to the business-end of something… not very nice. For years, I always wondered why Ford included that forced alarm button on the keys to the Expedition; like, who’d want to set their car alarm off on purpose? Now I get it.

If you’re heading over to the event this evening, please make sure you park in a very well-lit area. Hollywood at night is about as dangerous as any other city – which means that if you stay on the road and off the moors, you should be fine. But just the same, since the event will, more than likely, get out late, I’d suggest staying alert on your way back to your car/hotel. Never forget that there are some desperate (or just flat-out evil) people in the world, and they’re always looking for a pigeon/easy mark.

And, yes: I can appreciate the utter irony in that last sentence, considering I was on my way home from an event where I was charging fifty bucks to sit around and watch some DVD extras.