[This photo from Paul F. Tompkins' set from Simalot's photostream]
I was a little tipsy when I saw Paul F. Tompkins signing the back of a badge on the very first night of the cruise. I charged up to him, told him I loved the Tompkast (it's my favorite) and was so glad he was able to come on the cruise.
Despite Jonathan Coulton's excellent advice that you should always begin your conversation with celebrities by introducing yourself, I never remember to do this. I suppose it's a bit rude, but in my mind my name is so irrelevant to the conversation that it never occurs to me. When I finished gushing to Paul F. Tompkins, he asked me my name and shook my hand. Of all the performers on the cruise for the last two years, he is the only one to volunteer either of these things. That is why I love Paul F. Tompkins forever.
[Kill 'em with kindness indeed! Video from Cernoise's video stream]
I was a little tipsy again when I saw Paul F. Tompkins at the formal night. He was in a tuxedo and I was carrying an unopened bottle of wine in one hand and my beer in the other. My default move when I see a performer but have nothing to say is to give a polite smile and wave.
Don't do a polite wave when you have two hands full of alcohol. I choose to wave with the hand holding the wine bottle. The wine bottle chose death over dishonor and dropped to the floor.
In case you're wondering about the thickness of the carpets on HAL cruise lines, I can tell you they're not thick enough to keep a wine bottle dropped from 4 feet from shattering.
God love him, when I threw a bottle of wine at the impeccably dressed Paul F. Tompkins the first words out of his mouth were "Oh my gosh are you OK?"
That is why I love Paul F. Tompkins forever.
