Otherworld Episode 137: The Devil's Errand
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Oct 6, 2025 Danny Harunji, owner of Cafe Tropical in Silver Lake, shares a gripping and surreal tale from his teen years. He recounts cutting class with friends to buy weed, where they meet a well-dressed man claiming to be Anton LaVey, the founder of the Church of Satan. As the encounter escalates into a dangerous drug deal, Danny reflects on the lasting impact this experience had on his life, including struggles with addiction and eventual recovery. His story raises questions about the reality of that day—was it a supernatural meeting or a bad trip?
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The Train Ride That Turned Dangerous
- Danny and two classmates met a well-dressed man at Hollywood & Highland who offered $100 per drug if they fetched substances in MacArthur Park.
- The man brandished a switchblade, forced trust rituals, and rode the train with them while claiming "they can't see me."
MacArthur Park: First Hard-Drug Exposure
- In MacArthur Park the man had the teens fetch crack, heroin, meth and more, paying them $100 each time and making them consume some substances.
- Danny describes feeling compelled and scared, later realizing it was the first time he'd used hard drugs.
Decades Of Addiction And Recovery
- Danny spiraled into opiate and IV drug use years after the encounter and spent much of his twenties dependent and homeless at times.
- He credits a friend and treatment interventions for achieving sobriety on July 9, 2015, and celebrating over a decade clean.
