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

“So, anyway, um,” he went on in typical teenager fashion. He let out a big sigh. “Okay, here goes. Right when I tried to lift my leg to put it over the rail, something came down hard on my foot. When I looked down, I saw a boot. I followed the boot back with my eyes to pantaloons, a sword, a tankard, a vest, chest hair,” he blushed. “And a bearded, old as the universe, face. With, um, er, a pirate hat with a blue feather and a big parrot on it. The parrot said and I quote, ‘Fuck me feathers! Avast!’”


I laughed out loud, but saw that he looked hurt, so reached out and touched his arm. “I believe you,” I said, “It’s just the parrot. I always wanted one, and he’d probably talk just like that or worse.”


Savin went on. “‘Who are you?’ I got out, standing there with my mouth hanging open like a twelve-year-old seeing his first naked man…Er, woman.”


I had to pat his arm again. It was that or throw him on the floor and take him. “It’s okay to be gay,” I said stupidly. “I am.”


Chapter 13