On Tuesday there was a FREE screening of the last episode of Firefly, "Objects in Space" in NE at the Hollywood Theatre. By far one of my favorite episodes of all time, and I got to laugh next to 200 people in real time! I had a real blast (hint) there and a couldn't wait for the Q & A afterwards with Zach Whedon. One of my friends left to go to the bathroom, however - and upon his return he said that he had run into Zach Whedon in the bathroom and had already asked him my question - which the answer to was negatory. The rest of the questions people were asking were mostly about other projects, in no way related to Firefly. I got bored, and slightly irritated, and I left.

There was at least another hour before the signing of the new book, "Serenity: A Shepherd's Tale," and the distribution of free alcohol; I needed something to do. I picked up my copy of the comic early while the crowd was distracted across the street at the theatre. Then I went outside and saw some friends walking away also - heading to get sushi. I walked around the block to look at the changes around the neighborhood. That's when I remembered - my favorite place had to be around still! I walked down the stairs and into the basement, looking around carefully out of my perif as some unsuspecting couple walks by me. The door is still there, but I keep walking until I knew they had left.

I double back and walk across a big empty floor to a door in the corner. The same door I always remember - with that square cutout hole and all. Yep, everything was the same, down to the - lock on the door? There was never a lock on the door! How dare you try to keep me away from my childhood! I know for a fact there's nothing in there that needs protecting, you can't keep all the fun places to yourself! I look around suspiciously to make sure I'm alone, and then I take a few steps towards the door and WHAM! In one smooth motion, my heel makes contact with the padlock and I walk in. Shutting the door behind me, I peek out through the hole from the other side now - making sure no one heard me.

I turn on my flashlight and walk around for a few minutes. Looking at the old fusebox, the elevator that goes up to the street - the one that hasn't worked in ages. Most of the things stored in there are light covers or random pieces of particle board for shelves. Everything was just how I'd left it so many years ago. I answer a few short text messages and then leave, being sure to 'close' the door behind me. Sushi Land, here I come! I walk out of the building like some drunk that got tired and fell asleep standing up, and I head down the street - escape artists never die.