Scotty's Star

I wrote recently about Scotty's comments in Star Trek IV about transparent aluminum, being vindicated by current research. Now I've just read the bittersweet news that James Doohan has been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame... and has made what is probably his last public appearance. He's suffering from a list of degenerative conditions, including diabetes, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's.

Spock was always my favorite character from the original series, but Scotty was my favorite human on the U.S.S. Enterprise. Not only did he have the cool accent, but his character had an appealing spirit. I think I learned some of my "can do" attitude from his frequent remarks to the effect, "That's impossible, but you really need it, so I'll make it happen somehow."

Sure, he's really Canadian, and he's an actor, not an engineer, but he's still been an inspiration. You can't swing a cat in a university engineering department without hitting several faculty and/or students who got into the field specifically because of Scotty. I got a kick out of spending time at the University of Aberdeen, pretending that I walked the streets that Montgomery Scott would one day stroll. (Years of listening to his faux Scots accent also made it easier for me to understand the locals.)

Doohan is also a veteran of D-Day, losing a finger helping to liberate Normandy from the Nazis. (The TV series staged shots around it, and he used a "hand double" for close-ups of the transporter console.) He went on to serve as a spotter plane pilot. So he's a hero in the more traditional sense, not just as a celebrity.

Based on the interviews I've read and every account I've heard of his frequent appearances at Trek conventions, he's even more genial and down-to-earth than he appeared on screen. He appreciates how much he's received from his fans, and has tried to give back to them, such as the suicidal fan whom he coaxed to come meet with him at a convention, then another, then another, quite likely saving the man's life. He's a good person. Full stop.

Like most public figures with Alzheimer's, Jimmy Doohan is going to disappear from the public eye now, and someday we'll hear that he's died. I do hope that it's soon. These are horrible illnesses to live with, both for the patient and his caregivers. Even in the advanced stages, when the patient is too far gone to understand his situation, he still suffers from it.

So, Jimmy: May your dilithium crystals be fully charged, your matter/anti-matter reaction balanced, your wee bairns well cared for, and I wish you a safe and painless transport to your final shore leave.

Energise.