Scared for my life

So, as far as I can remember, I have never really been scared for my life. Yes, there have been "Oh crap that was close!" moments, like when avoiding a car accident, but nothing like what happened tonight.

I'm out of my special HCG diet food. :( I needed to go to the store to get more before tomorrow. I also needed to take some garbage out to the dumpster. I put my coat on and walked out to the dumpster with the garbage bag. As I got closer, something bolted across the parking lot. Now, our parking lot has NO lights. Zero, Zip, NADA. It is pitch black out there! We have 2 dumpsters, one on the south side of the parking lot and one on the east side. The one by the east side is on the other side of a wall that separates our complex from a business parking lot, which DOES have a light. That's the dumpster I walked toward.

So, this thing bolts across the parking lot, goes past me, then stops. I didn't really know what it was other than it was HUGE. I knew it was looking at me, but I couldn't see it's eyes. Turns out it was a dog. A big dog. That was really scary in the dark.

I tried not to act like I was scared, cuz of the whole "animals can smell fear thing." I threw the garbage away and turned to walk back to my car. Then the thing barked at me. It was loud and scary and totally unexpected. I screamed. Every time I took a step forward it would bark at me and jump back a few feet.

I finally gave up, and called Mike from the middle of the parking lot, TOTALLY freaking out. The dog was sure making it hard for me to get to my car. He finally took off around the side of the building and I bolted for my car.

Then I called the SFPD and made a complaint. That was about an hour and a half ago. They said they'd send an officer out. Still haven't heard anything. Do you think they'll show up?

I think the dog belongs to our neighbors down the street. I've seen the dog in the afternoons running around loose. I really hope they catch the dog (I think he's a boxer??) and give the people a dog at large ticket, because being scared to death in the middle of a pitch black parking lot at 8:30 is SO NOT COOL.