James Rockton is ready to die. In fact, he plans on it. Having lost his life partner to AIDS, he books the South Pacific cruise Richard didn't live to share. James will spread Richard's ashes at sea, and then slip overboard to join him forever. He’s too old and too heartbroken to continue on alone.<br><br>But James doesn’t count on meeting a young man whose parents constantly put him down. Then there’s the obviously gay young art dealer who ogles a crazy young photographer traveling with an older gay man about James’s own age.<br><br>James and Herb begin spending time together, trying not to laugh too hard or get too involved with these young men, who circle each other in rapidly shrinking orbits. After all, James and Herb are old, with gray hair and less stamina. With time, talk, and martinis, will love manage to find them, too?

Fade to Gray

I wanted to repeat myself with a question mark after my last word but somehow resisted. “I saw you at the art talk, so I thought you could help me discern these colors.” I could see three different shades; he saw seven. Being the idiot I am, I immediately looked at him and twirled my non-existent handlebar moustache and said, “Ah, tu a dessomething oils, I mean, eyes. I’ve forgotten my French, but I am only Belgique!”


He grinned briefly. His eyes sparkled like several colors of the sea. “Ah, mais non, Hercule, mon ami!”


Chapter 6