I know, I know, I’m blogging behind.  However, I feel like I am working toward better content for my readers–hopefully corresponders–and there are just so many hours in a day, you know?

That said I have to take a moment to remember Ernest Borgnine.  Not because I’m from the McHale’s Navy generation, or because I love his performances in all those movies in the 60’s and 70’s, including the original Posiedon Adventure.  No.  My reason is much more personal than that.

Last summer I met Ernest Borgnine at DragonCon here in Atlanta.  He was warm and engaging, and whether he was sincere or just great at acting sincere, he seemed genuinely delighted to see his fans.  When we stepped up to him at the table for our autograph, I asked to take a picture of him with my son.  He agreed, of course, and then asked for me to take one too.  I begged off with my usual “I’ll break the camera.”  He said, “A beautiful young thing like you? Get over here.”  The picture is wonderful of him and terrible of me, as I predicted, but I will never, ever forget his kindness.  What a loss for the world, but how lucky we were to have him.