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 applauded. Then the person I later found out he was travelling with (just friends, honest; coworkers, they said) walked up, took one look, and slunk away, embarrassed. I couldn’t help it, I laughed. The roommate is about my age and portly, more so than I. Walks with a bit of a limp; talks with a bit of a lisp. I pulled Eric to his feet; he was a bit unsteady.


Eric said, “That’s my roommate, Herb. He has no sense of drama, which is ridiculous for a gay man his age.” He dusted his hands off, giggled, waved ta-ta to me, blew me a kiss, and staggered away. I don’t know where he’s from, but by the red hair and stagger, I’d say Ireland.


Chapter 8