In my younger days, I had to fly to DC for a contract job, a 5-day gig. I got in late at Reagan and rented a car, not knowing how close downtown was (should have just taken a cab). Well, I got lost and it got really late. While wandering aimlessly, I stopped at a gas station for directions. The outside attendant (looking back I'm not even sure he really worked there) gave me directions and then insisted that I was not leaving until I paid him the 10 dollars he was due for his services. With no way to protect myself, I paid the bastard and left. Driving through that area was daunting considering I was completely naked without my normal concealed accessory. No BS, I was treating stoplights as stop signs, there were packs of them on every corner giving you the stare-down, a couple of them even started walking towards my car. I'll never go back to that place, for any amount of money.
If I remember correctly, the Capitol Hilton charged me like 300 bucks for valet service for that damned car and I never even saw it again until I left for my flight home, the job was walking distance from my hotel.
I hope you read “Bonfire of the Vanities” to see what happened to the poor guy that found himself lost driving in the ghetto.
A great book-—a lousy movie.
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