Fear and loathing on the Wonder

The scene was weirder than I described it. Hunter S. Thompson at his prime could probably bring it off, watching two sea captains of long experience whose job now includes escorting cartoon rodents down a staircase and standing for nearly an hour for photographs. Maybe if I had a few peyote buttons.

I thought it peculiar, this worshipful attention to the captain. You could have your picture taken with him and have him sign memorabilia. Why? Some lingering romantic notion of captains and ships? After all, we don't pose with the bus driver who took us to the ship. Airline pilots might get some of the same kind of attention, but nothing so formalized as this. But there they were, Captain Tom and Staff Captain Guus, with their formal bows and stiff smiles, posing for picture after picture just like the princesses.

On the second floor overlooking the scene was Captain Hook. Every once in awhile, Rachel the Cruise Director would mention over the loudspeaker that the captain was there and available for pictures. I was puzzled: why have him here and then shove him aside?

Then I realized that he was here because he was a Captain. It's the Three Captains! But the flesh-and-blood models were paired with Mickey and Minnie (and, shrewd move this, they paired the senior captain with Minnie. If you want a pix with Mickey, you have to accept Staff Captain Guus as well). Throwing in Hook gives the opportunity for a little more juice, but there was no room for him downstairs. Perhaps the captains were willing to be seen with mice, but not a cartoon captain?

All material is ©2000-2001 Bill Peschel unless otherwise noted.