Say what you will about Peter David, but the man is anything but boring. My own choice of words usually includes things such as “entertaining” and “quick-witted.” I sincerely believe he’s one of those fortunate people who’ve managed to avoid growing up any more than absolutely necessary.
I had the fortune to be seated at the same table as Peter for the banquet at this year’s Farpoint convention. Peter was his usual self, entertaining us with such stories as his discovery that the Enterprise’s warp core is shaped like a coffee percolator (I don’t see it myself, but have no reason to doubt Peter when he says that Mike Okuda confirmed it).
Because this is the year 2007, the theme for this year’s banquet was 007, James Bond. The tables were decorated with a variety of James Bond themed knickknacks such as playing cards and poker chips (after all, James Bond does visit a lot of casinos). At one point Peter and Lew were exchanging stories of visits to various Star Trek sets (and I was wishing I had that kind of connections), when Peter looked up and realized there was a gun on the table.
Peter picked up the gun and held it with a look of curiosity. he quickly realized that it was a water pistol that been painted gold (a reference to, of course, The Man with the Golden Gun) and he quickly set out to figure out how to make it work. In the process of painting the gun gold the fill cap had been painted over, but it was a matter of only a few moments before he got it open. Next he worked to trigger a few times to get it loose. You could see the mischief in his eyes.
In no time at all, Peter David, a well-known author of numerous Star Trek and other titles, was holding the pistol over a water glass and pouring water into it from a separate glass. He repeated this procedure several times, switching the glasses as the lower one filled up. In no time at all, Peter was holding a filled water pistol, and that’s when the real mischief began.
Peter then walked across the room and struck up a conversation with Richard Hatch. The two had been chatting for only a few moments when Peter pulled out the gun and Richard laughed. And then Peter started squirting Richard.
About 10 minutes later, Richard came over to our table to see Peter. Richard pulled out two more loaded water pistols and in no time at all, there was a full-blown shoot-out happening on the other side of the table.
Say what you will about Peter David and Richard Hatch, I don’t think either one of them is at all boring. 🙂