Dangerous assignments

You didn't get robbed. That was good. You survived. That was good. I suggest you go back there tonight and even things up with a little help from your friend. ;D

 

I had a car break down in Hawaiian Gardens. Before the days of cellphones.
Anyone know Hawaiian Gardens? It is the most ill-named place in the history of Earth.
There are no gardens and it really doesn't resemble anything close to Hawaii.

 

only time i was ever briefly frightened was covering a h.s. hoops game in '81 at boys & girls high in brooklyn during the pearl washington years. pulled my '80 celica into the lot by the gym. a bunch of youths were checking out the wheels and sizing me up.

thankfully, one of the youths told the others, "yo, be cool -- that's shockey from the ny gazette. he must be here to see pearl. he's cool."

yeah, i was cool -- just needed an underwear change.

 

Two words: Hurricane Katrina.

 

A loose ball flew off a basketball court and spilled a Coke all over my notebook and stats once. And I was writing in marker, not pen or pencil. True story.

More seriously, any football or basketball game where fans storm the field/court would qualify. Generally speaking, they have no regard for anybody in their way, least of which would be a 160-pound sports writer. I've been bumped hard but never gone down. Doesn't sound all that dangerous, but I've been in the middle of a handful that have genuinely made me worry for my own safety.

 

Oh, yeah, I don't care for that experience, either.