Um.

1. Lighten up a little. Obviously I was exaggerating to make a point. One that you missed.

2. If fear of the dark is the only reason you're afraid to walk in the city at night, you're perhaps more naive than I am. It's pretty stupid to walk around at night even in our tiny 10,000 person southern New Hampshire towns. Not because they aren't "safe" -- you might indeed be able to do it your whole life and survive -- but because it's idiotic to play Russian roulette, even at 100 to 1 odds, with your life. And like it or not, cities, DC being one of the worst offenders, are MUCH more dangerous than small town, New Hampshire. It's not prejudice. It's statistical fact.