Love at First Bite II

Okay, a friend's comment, and discussion with another friend about this book, led me to the realization that I overlooked a key character in Bloodsucking Fiends. The Emperor of San Francisco. In the novel, this character is a homeless man that keeps watch over the city, and often cautions people with the phrase, "Safety first!" He travels with two dogs, Bummer and Lazarus, and desires to rid the city of vampires.

I loved this character while reading the novel, but found out when I was discussing it with my friend, that the Emperor was actually a real person. He dubbed himself the Emperor of San Francisco, the United States, and the Protector of Mexico. His name was Joshua A. Norton. The residents of San Francisco treated him with respect, and when he died, they buried him in the rich cemetery, rather than let him have a pauper's grave.

Google him. It's really fascinating.