Last week Mike had a visitor on board whom none of us had met beforehand but turned out to be like a warm snuggie on a cold winter’s eve. Simply put, he was just great. On Tuesday of last week, Piero, Rance, Mike, Danny and I rented a car to visit the Volcano National Park. Jen and Larrance had done the tour a few weeks ago when her mom was onboard and didn’t need to do it again.

The boys in Hilo -- otherwise known as J Crew Catalogue

What we didn’t take into consideration is that Hilo is the day after our show and we were no longer anonymous. We also timed our visit perfectly with the excursion buses from the ship. They LOVED our show, it was a little overwhelming how effusive they were all week long. Especially on Hilo, as I had gotten up early that morning with Jen to teach the youth counselors some improv games they use with the kids.  It was just one of those days where I never really felt like I woke up.

At one point while the five of us where enjoying the view from an area called the Steam Field we hear the voice of a woman, gasp in wonderment we all look out over in the direction of the calderal to see what she’s seen only to hear her exclaim, “Oh look, it’s the Second C!ty!!”  And then she makes a B-line directly for me and says “My friend loved you!! You were so great!” And sure enough as soon as she says that, the friend arrives.

Steaming Caldera of Lava pales in comparison to Second C!ty cast.

“Oh my god, it’s you!! Can you make that face for me me? The one you do as the blow up doll? How do you do that? Did you have to train for a long time?” I want to take a picture of that face! Come on I’ll pay you, I think I have a nickle around her somewhere”

Now the truth is I DON’T want to do it.  I have about a million comebacks that I want to say but don’t, because of course she’s a guest and I know she’s just excited. I love the thought that I went to school to learn how to make a blow up doll face.  My mind is still in that foggy, not awake state and I don’t want to be mean, but I also don’t want to be forced into this photograph. But clearly she is not giving up. I finally relent knowing she isn’t going to take no for an answer, on the flip side she’ll probably never develop these photographs.  I do not receive a nickle.

After that she asks for a photo of all of us, which really attracts a crowd and all of a sudden like monkeys at the zoo we have a mini-wall of paparazzi taking our photos. Fortunately I snapped a photo of them as well, just for a little proof.

They love us, they really love us.